Yu-Gi-Oh GX Legacy of Lynn Final Mix
by Link13PGF
Summary: A remixed version of Legacy of Lynn with new cards and a reorganized story. In order to become the world's greatest duelist, she decides to attend the world's greatest school of dueling. To do so, she must discover the duelist within while keeping her own identity a secret from her friends.
1. A New Legend Begins

_**Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Legacy of Lynn Final Mix**_

 _The game of Duel Monsters has become a way of life throughout the world._ _The search for a new King of Games has begun. The current King of Games, Yugi Moto, has been trying to find a duelist powerful enough to defeat him. Students and adults alike have been going to various schools to learn Duel Monsters and have strived to reach Yugi's level._ _This story is about one of those schools and one of its new students, who wishes to fill her mother's lifelong dream of defeating Yugi and becoming the Duel Monsters world champion…_

 _But first, she has to get into the school…_

 **Chapter One: A New Legend Begins**

Flying high in the sky above the country of Japan is a glistening white chopper, the side of it bearing the mark of three glistening triangles. Inside this chopper is a sixteen-year old girl with shoulder length white-blond hair and ocean blue eyes. She is wearing a violet T-shirt, black leather jacket, designer blue jeans that are secured by a black leather belt, a triangle-shaped amulet set with a ruby, an emerald and a sapphire all triangular, white socks and a pair of white tennis shoes. On the back of her left hand was a birthmark in the shape of three triangles arranged to form a bigger triangle. At the present time, it was concealed beneath a heavy brown leather gauntlet that covered the girl's hand and half of her left forearm.

"Your Highness, we're approaching the Domino Duel Dome," Came the pilot's voice. The girl nodded as she fastened her seat belt.

"Bring us down," She commanded as she reached into a deck box on her belt. She pulled out a deck of cards and looked at them. The backs of the cards were crimson in color with gold edging. A black spot in the center were the last defining element of the cards. She turned them over and looked at the cards. Some held images of creatures; some were of spells and some depicted traps being activated. One card in particular caught her interest: A picture of an orange-haired mage in green armor. The monster in question appeared at her side, a spirit visible to only her.

"So it begins Mistress?" The monster asked.

"Yes Valkyria. This is it. The written exams are over and once we win the entry duel, we can enter Duel Academy," The girl told her as she slipped the medallion underneath her shirt. Valkyria nodded in agreement before fading. The chopper approached the helipad at the back of a large blue, domed stadium. With a loud thump, the chopper landed and the pilot climbed out to open the door for the girl.

"Princess Lynn, this is where we depart but I wish you the best of luck," The pilot said as he helped Lynn down. The pilot gave her a suitcase and a backpack and with a salute, climbed back into the chopper and left. Lynn then turned towards the dome and preceded to the entrance, where a man in a black suit waited. Lynn handed him a white envelope. After glancing at its contents, the man wordlessly led her to the stadium, which had been sectioned off into four different dueling fields. Inside those fields, other students were facing off with teachers in duels, using Kaiser-blade-like devices on their arms. Using these duel disks, duelists could summon holographic versions of the cards they played to the field to wage battle with enemies.

"This way Miss Hero. You're in duel field #4," the man in black instructed as he led her to one of the fields. Inside, Lynn could see a sleek young man in white dueling one of the proctors. The teacher had two stone monsters and the young man had a muscular beast bearing a mighty axe. Behind that monster was a facedown spell card.

 _Bastion Misawa, the duel prodigy_ … Lynn thought, having seen the boy before in the news.

 **Proctor's LP: 1500**

 **Bastion's LP: 3200**

"So young duelist. You have two monsters staring you down. Do you either: A. Give up, B. Beg for mercy, or C. Cry for mommy?" The proctor taunted. Bastion seemed unfazed at the taunting as he reached for the switch to activate his facedown card.

"How about: D. None of the above? I activate my trap card, Ring of Destruction. It will destroy my monster and then we both take damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack points," Bastion explained as a ring of explosives wrapped itself around his monster. In a fiery explosion, the creature vanished and both duelists lost 1900 life points, ending the duel in Bastion's favor.

"Very clever. Welcome to the academy," the proctor frowned. Bastion bowed in respect as the holograms vanished.

"Thank you, oh wise proctor," Bastion replied as he stepped off the field.

"That was amazing. He used his monster to blow through the defense of his opponent. I'll have to remember thattrick," Lynn said to herself as she was escorted onto the field. As she took her place on the field, she noticed the proctor reach into his pocket for another deck, and after shuffling it thoroughly, he slotted it into the duel disk.

"Welcome. I'm sure you know the stakes of our duel. If you win, you get to come to the most prestigious Duel Monsters academy in the world, but if you lose, you're out," The proctor explained as Lynn pulled a duel disk from her backpack and slotted her deck into it, "By the way, my name is Professor Shields and I teach defense tactics at Duel Academy. I hope you're up to the task of defense, because this isn't a friendly duel! I'm being paid to take you down!" Lynn frowned as the life point counters on both duel disks reset to 4000. Both challengers drew five cards from their decks.

"Let's duel!"

 **Shields' LP: 4000**

 **Lynn's LP: 4000**

"I'll start things off by activating the spell card Ancient Rules," The professor explained, "I can special summon the Millennium Shield in defense mode!" A gold-edged shield with red plating and an eye symbol appeared in front of the professor (DEF: 3000).

"When you said you were a professor of defense tactics, you weren't kidding," Lynn commented.

"Yes, there's much I can teach you but first I'll end my turn with this facedown," The professor concluded.

"Then let the magic begin! I summon Magician's Valkyria in attack mode. Then I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn," Lynn said, summoning her green-clad sorceress (ATK: 1600) and two facedown cards, "Now let's see if you have any offense to go with your defense." The professor drew his card and grinned at it.

"Your choice of words was a bad one Miss Hero. I'll start by playing the spell card Infernal Reckless Summon! This spell card allows us to each summon all duplicates of the monsters we have out on the field from our decks to the field. This means I can call two more Millennium Shields to the field in attack mode," The professor explained, calling out two more shield monsters (ATK: 0 / DEF: 3000).

"Unfortunately, I have only one Magician's Valkyria card so I can't take advantage," Lynn said.

"That's too bad for you because I'm going to switch my first shield into attack mode and play the Shield and Sword spell card," The professor announced, slotting in the card, "As I'm sure you're aware, this swaps the attack and defense points of all monsters on the field until the end phase."

Millennium Shield X 3 (ATK: 0-3000 / DEF: 3000-0)

Magician's Valkyria (ATK: 1600-1800 / DEF: 1800-1600)

"Uh oh, I see where this is going," Lynn frowned as the monsters' points changed, "Now you've got three monsters with 3000 attack points…"

"Which will be enough to wipe you out unless you can stop me! Millennium Shields! End this duel!" Professor Shields ordered. The eye symbol on the left-hand shield began to glow brightly. Up in the stands, Bastion frowned at Lynn's predicament as did several other applicants who were watching. Two in particular had their eyes on her duel, a blue-haired man wearing an Obelisk Blue blazer. The male had piercing blue eyes and was eyeing the potential applicant. His blazer however had pointed tails in the rear and his face showed he was displeased with something. With him was a blond, brown-eyed girl, also wearing a sleeveless white top with blue trim, indicating she was an Obelisk Blue. She also wore white shorts and high boots that almost went to her knees.

"Looks like the new girl's going to get schooled," The girl frowned.

"Professor Shields never was very good at holding back Alexis," The boy frowned. Both of their eyes moved to Lynn's facedown cards.

"But something tells me she's not finished yet Zane," Alexis said.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not done yet! I reveal my trap card, Magician's Circle!" Lynn replied, pulling out her deck to search, "This trap allows us to both summon a spellcaster from our decks with 2000 attack points or less when one of my spellcasters comes under attack."

"Interesting move, but I don't have any spellcasters in my deck," Shields replied.

"Well I do! Say hello to Lost Legend Nabooru!" Lynn introduced. A beam of orange light shot out of Lynn's field and a dark-skinned woman emerged with long red hair in a ponytail and piercing gold eyes. Clad in a white top and pink harem-style pants and slippers, she stood proudly with her arms crossed (ATK: 900).

"You have the ability to summon a monster with up to 2000 attack points and you resort to a monster with only 900? I'm not sure I follow your logic," The professor frowned.

"You will once I activate her ability. When she's summoned successfully, she can copy the special ability of one warrior or spellcaster type monster on the field," Lynn explained as Nabooru whipped out a green staff that matched the one Valkyria possessed. The two mages stood together and a lattice of light and magic formed across Lynn's field, which swiftly blocked all three of the Millennium Shields' attacks.

"Clever move. Without another Valkyria, all she had to was create another one," Bastion praised, "Such a tactic could only come from an experienced duelist…"

"How was that? Since Valkyria is the only spellcaster you can attack, I turned my sage into another one, thus creating a lockdown you can't take advantage of," Lynn pointed out.

"Yes, a clever move indeed, but my move is not done yet. I reveal my trap card! This is Zero Gravity and switches all our monsters into defense mode. With that, I'll end my turn and since my turn is over, our monsters' points go back to normal," The professor concluded as all the monsters on the field either crouched down in defense or simply remained floating in place.

Millennium Shield X 3 (ATK: 3000-0 / DEF: 0-3000)

Magician's Valkyria (ATK: 1800-1600 / DEF: 1600-1800)

Nabooru, Sage of Spirit (ATK: 900 / DEF: 900)

"Then it's my move and it's a big one," Lynn announced, drawing a card, "Because I'm releasing both of my monsters to advance summon this card! Endymion the Master Magician!" Pillars of light swallowed Lynn's monsters and from them came a male magician in ornate black armor with a purple cape. A purple-jeweled staff was gripped in his hand as a fearsome dark aura emanated from the sorcerer's body (ATK: 2700).

"An impressive monster, but it alone will not cripple my Millennium Shields," Shields warned.

"Not necessarily. I use my monster's special ability! Once per turn, I can discard a spell card to destroy one card on your field," Lynn explained as she discarded a card, "So I'll discard this and destroy one of your shields." The magician leveled its staff at the right-hand shield and fired a barrage of dark magic that shattered it.

"And don't think I'll stop there! I activate the equip spell card Black Pendant! This gives my magician 500 attack points," Lynn said as an ebony gemstone necklace appeared around the sorcerer's neck.

Endymion the Master Magician (ATK: 2700-3200)

"Which is enough for it destroy your second shield in battle!" Lynn concluded. Channeling its new power, Endymion drew back its arm and launched a stream of red-black magic that shattered the left-hand shield.

"Now you're down to one monster," Lynn grinned as she ended her turn, "On my next turn, I'll destroy your last shield and go for your life points." Professor Shields looked at the girl with both confusion and pride. The girl before him showed great skill and instinct. She didn't show any signs of overconfidence or lack of focus. The professor couldn't help but be pleased with this applicant. Unfortunately, his next card would truly test her.

"Not a bad play," The professor admitted, "but unfortunately, your magician will not be staying around to cripple my final shield. I play the spell card Smashing Ground. This card allows me to destroy the monster on the field with the highest attack points so your magician will have to disappear." Lynn balked as the ground opened up beneath her monster and swallowed it.

"OK, that's not good," Lynn winced, "But my Black Pendant's other effect activates. When it's destroyed, you lose 500 life points." A black aura briefly surrounded the professor as the pendant's curse drained his life points.

 **Shields' LP: 4000-3500**

"That damage doesn't mean much, especially since I have the Shield Attack spell card in my hand. This will add my monster's defense to its attack points until the end phase," Professor Shields continued as his shield powered up again, "And now I'll switch my shield to attack mode and have it attack you directly." The shield's eye glowed brightly as it powered up again.

Millennium Shield (ATK: 0-3000)

Lynn raised her duel disk in defense as the shield launched a beam of light that bounced off. Despite it being a hologram, Lynn's feet skidded against the floor below as she struggled to stay standing.

 **Lynn's LP: 4000-1000**

"And now I'll place a facedown and end my turn," Professor Shields concluded and his monster's strength returned to normal.

Millennium Shield (ATK: 3000-0)

"This is it. Your last chance to show you belong here. Use it well," The professor warned. Lynn nodded as she gazed at the one card in her hand, then the lone set card she possessed. Neither alone would be enough to win.

"OK, here goes. I draw!" Lynn announced, drawing her card, "And I drew Pot of Greed which I'll use now to draw two cards." Adding the cards to her hand, her hopes rose.

"Now I summon Lost Legend Saria in attack mode," Lynn continued, summoning a child-like human that was garbed in a green sweater, green pants, and green boots to the field. Her green hair and eyes complemented her attire as she kneeled down in defense (ATK: 1500).

"And check out her special ability. When normal summoned, I draw one card and if that card is a level four monster, I can special summon it to the field," Lynn continued, drawing a card, "And I just drew Breaker the Magical Warrior!" The sage conjured a green spell circle and from it was a red armored magician. Carrying a shield and sword, he stood proudly ready for battle (ATK: 1600).

"Next I'll play the spell card Spell Power Grasp! This allows me to place a spell counter on any card I choose that can have one and then I can add another Spell Power Grasp from my deck to my hand. I'll give the spell counter to Breaker and then use it to trigger his ability!" Lynn explained as her magician's sword glowed, "By removing his spell counter, I can destroy one spell or trap on your field!" With that, her monster fired off an energy blast that consumed the professor's Negate Attack trap card.

"With that trap out of my way, I can now finish this duel with my facedown trap card, Rising Energy!" Lynn announced, unveiling her card, "By discarding Spell Power Grasp from my hand, I can power up a monster's attack points on my field by 1500 until the end phase. I'll power up my sage of the forest!" A powerful aura of light engulfed her monster as the trap took effect.

Lost Legend Saria (ATK: 1500-3000)

"And since your shield is still in attack mode and has no attack points, you're done! Breaker, dismantle that shield!" Lynn commanded. Her monster complied, charging forward and breaking the shield with a powerful slash. The shockwave from the blast knocked the professor back slightly as his life points took the hit.

 **Shields' LP: 3500-1900**

"And now Saria! Finish this duel!" Lynn concluded, pointing at the professor. Saria smiled as she conjured four spell circles around her. Vines magically emerged from them and swiftly struck the professor with enough power to knock him off his feet. Professor Shields grunted in acknowledgement at his defeat.

 **Shields' LP: 1900-0**

The holograms vanished as the professor picked himself up off the floor. All around her, potential applicants and students who had come to watch were cheering for Lynn. Smiling, Lynn waved to her peers. The professor came over to her and shook her hand.

"Congratulations Miss Hero. Welcome to Duel Academy!" The man acknowledged. A few minutes later at the registration desk, Lynn was brought to the proctors who were watching over the test duels.

"Ah, Lynn Hero. Congratulations on passing your field test! That was a most excellent display," one of the proctors praised.

"Based on your performance in both the written exam and the test duel, I'm proud to have you accepted into Duel Academy. Obelisk Blue is where you belong," the proctor noted.

"Thank you. I'm glad to be here," Lynn nodded as a man with a long blond ponytail, purple lips, wearing frilly blue robes and high white boots walked over. Or at least she thought he was a man.

"Ah just in time! Lynn, this is Dr. Crowler, the head of the male Obelisk Blue dorm," The proctor introduced. Lynn shook his hand as Crowler's eyes scanned her. Lynn felt slightly exposed under the man's scrutinizing gaze.

"Doctor, Lynn passed her field test with flying colors," the proctor informed the teacher. Crowler grinned.

"I saw that. That combination with your Valkyria card was most impressive. I have no doubt that you will make a fine Obelisk," Crowler smirked, "Now I suggest you go back out to the stadium and get acquainted with your fellow students."

"OK, I will, but what about my luggage?" Lynn asked.

"We'll handle your luggage Lynn. All I need you to do is take this Duel Pilot. It's proof of your rank here at Duel Academy," The proctor replied, handing Lynn a PDA with Duel Academy's emblem on it. Not surprisingly, it was blue in color. Lynn stuck it in a storage case the proctor handed her and took off.

"Well, at least there are _some_ good applicants this year. Even without her 'connections', she'd still be an excellent candidate for Obelisk Blue," Crowler commented.

"Speaking of applicants, one more has just appeared. He's a little late but we have time to spare. I thought about sending out Dr. Stratton to duel him, but I haven't seen him around…" The proctor recalled.

"Don't worry about it. I'll deal with this truant myself." Crowler declared as he walked down the stairs.

"I'll tell the guys to prepare an exam deck for you," The proctor acknowledged, reaching for his PDA.

"Oh you don't have to. I have one with me." Crowler grinned as he headed to the test area, _only I'm going to show this little truant that I don't appreciate his lateness._ After winning her exam duel, Lynn decided to follow Crowler's advice and began to roam the upper levels of the stadium when her gaze settled on Alexis and Zane. Taking the initiative, Lynn went up to them and rested her arms on the rail. Noticing Lynn, the boy and the girl turned to face her.

"Hey, aren't you that girl who put the cards to Professor Shields?" Alexis asked. Lynn turned to her and nodded.

"Yeah, I am," Lynn grinned, "For a dueling proctor who was supposed to hold back, he put up quite a fight." The boy raised an eyebrow then smiled slightly.

"Yes, but you knew how to use your cards properly," The boy stated, no trace of emotion in his voice. Lynn frowned.

"Don't mind Zane: He's always like this," The girl replied, "I'm Alexis Rhodes, first year." Lynn took her outstretched hand and shook.

"Lynn Hero, nice to meet you," Lynn smiled when some action on the stadium floor caught her attention. Several of the proctors were shouting at someone on the floor.

"What's going on down there?" Lynn wondered.

"It appears Crowler is about to duel," came Bastion's voice. Lynn looked down into the stands where Bastion sat, a black briefcase in his lap.

"Is that a problem?" Lynn asked.

"Apparently, it is considering he's not using an exam deck. By the way, I saw your duel. Most impressive," Bastion replied. Lynn smiled again.

"Yeah I know. Your moves were awesome too. I'm Lynn Hero," Lynn said, "And you are?"

"I'm Bastion," Bastion replied, "Charmed to meet you." Lynn then noticed a young kid with light-green hair with blue eyes was listening. He wore glasses and wore a dark blue school uniform.

"And you are? What's your name?" Lynn asked. The boy looked up, a troubling look on his face.

"Oh hi… I… I'm Syrus and I'm not very good at dueling. I barely won my match," the young boy stammered, "And now I gotta watch my new friend duel an expert."

"New friend?" Lynn wondered. She followed his gaze to the stadium where Crowler, wearing a customized duel disk harness, was about to duel a young man with brown hair and eyes. From the charcoal gray uniform, red T-shirt and sneakers, Lynn guessed he was local.

"Alright, test time!" Crowler declared, "So son, your name?"

"Uh, Jaden, Jaden Yuki," The boy replied.

"Well, Jaden Yuki, I'm Dr. Vellian Crowler, department chair of techniques here at Duel Academy," Crowler introduced.

"Wow, a department chair. I had no idea, from the way you were dressed, I figured you were some kind of weird academy mascot," Jaden chuckled. The doctor winced slightly at the comment, insulted. Valkyria appeared at Lynn's side, unseen from everyone around her.

"Duel vest on!" Crowler commanded, pushing the on switch. Cards popped into his hand as Jaden drew five of his own from his duel disk.

"Hey, that's pretty sweet Teach. How do I get one of those spiffy duel blazers?" Jaden asked as Crowler added gazed at the cards in his hand.

"Oh, a lot of hard work and extremely high marks, but of course you have to get into the academy first," Crowler replied, mumbling the last part, _And I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen_. Even from a distance, Lynn could sense the cruelty in him.

"Here goes! I'm gonna summon Elemental Hero Avian in defense mode. Then I'm gonna throw down a facedown," Jaden declared, summoning a human-like creature to the field. This creature had white wings and was garbed in a green bodysuit (DEF: 1000).

"Alright, get your game on!" Jaden said, giving Crowler the signal to go.

"Yes, very good, _don't tell me what to do_. _Of course, since I'm using my own personal deck instead of one of those test decks, I will be calling all the shots. I'll fail this little brat and send him home in no time._ Crowler thought as he drew a card and looked at his hand.

"I think for this first move, I'll start off nice and easy by playing the spell card, Confiscation," Crowler announced.

"OK, what does that card do?" Jaden asked.

"Oh it's a very useful card. What it does is allow me to pay 1000 life points for the chance to peek at your hand and toss one of your cards into the graveyard," Crowler explained. Hologram versions of Jaden's cards appeared on the field.

 **Crowler's LP: 4000-3000**

"I remember a couple of these when I was a novice… Now which to get rid of…? I choose your Monster Reborn!" Crowler announced and Jaden reluctantly discarded the card.

"Next I'll lay two cards facedown on the field, and then I'll play my Heavy Storm spell card. This spell card destroys every other spell and trap card on the field," Crowler continued. Jaden shielded his eyes as a fierce wind blew across the stadium, destroying Crowler's two facedown cards and Jaden's trap card, Mirror Force.

"Whoops! Did you forget that you had two cards facedown on the field yourself?" Jaden asked, not fazed at all by Crowler's move.

"Now, now, you mustn't speak out of turn young scholar. My two trap cards activated when they were destroyed," Crowler replied as two yellow, snake-like monsters emerged onto Crowler's side of the field.

"Huh, Crowler laid two traps then destroyed them to summon two token monsters. Pretty sneaky," Lynn commented.

"Could someone please fill me in?" Syrus asked.

"The two trap cards Dr. Crowler had on the field were called Statue of the Wicked. When they're destroyed, vicious token monsters are summoned," Bastion replied.

"And there's only one reason why he would do that - He called them out to sacrifice them," Lynn realized.

"What a bullying snob, trashing some amateur with his very best cards," Alexis commented. Lynn nodded.

"You're too soft Alexis. I just hope we get to see that legendary rare monster Crowler's had stashed in that deck of his," Zane replied, unmoved by Jaden's precarious situation.

"I'd say the good doctor isn't the only snob around here," Valkyria huffed, looking over at Zane.

"Easy Valkyria," Lynn mumbled, glancing back at the duel spirit.

"Ready for your next lesson?" Crowler asked.

"You bet! I can't remember the last time learning was this much fun!" Jaden laughed. Crowler smirked.

"Yes well, I happen to be an excellent teacher, thank you. Now I sacrifice my two wicked tokens to summon the Ancient Gear Golem!" Crowler shouted as his two tokens vanished in a flash of flames. Rising out of the smoke though was a hulking giant soldier made up of rusting gray metal and green gears (ATK: 3000).

"There it is! The legendary rare card!" Alexis gasped.

"And we're about to see what makes this card so legendary," Zane replied.

"Golem attack! Mechanized melee!" Crowler commanded. Jaden gasped as his Avian was hit by the golem's metal fist and was destroyed.

"Aw man! Jaden's monster didn't stand a chance. Its defense was way too low," Syrus commented, "This isn't looking good."

"And it's about to get worse. When that Ancient Gear Golem destroys a monster in defense mode, the difference between Golem's attack points and the destroyed monster's defense points are dealt to the opponent as damage," Bastion explained.

"That means Jaden will lose half of his life points!" Lynn gasped, having overheard Bastion. Down below, Jaden stumbled as the fist continued forward and hit him, reducing his life points. The boy fell to one knee as the damage set in.

 **Jaden's LP: 4000-2000**

"Don't feel too bad. This is the top dueling school in the country. Some people aren't cut out…" Crowler began when he noticed Jaden was laughing. He climbed back to his feet, seemingly unaffected by the attack that had been directed at him.

"Boy, I _really_ want to come to the school now. You really know your stuff Teach," Jaden laughed. Crowler frowned in anger.

 _Can't he take a hint? He will not be allowed to pass this exam! And he certainly won't be allowed to make a mockery of my deck!_ Crowler fumed, trembling with anger.

 _Just look at him tremble… I must really impress him._ Jaden thought as he reached for his top card. He drew it and for a moment, stared at it, like he was holding a silent conversation with it.

 _That card Jaden drew must be really special. I wonder what it is?_ Lynn wondered as Jaden snapped out of his reverie.

"OK! I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode!" Jaden declared, summoning a brown fur ball monster. Its cute blue eyes, short white wings, and green paws made it look cute and cuddly (DEF: 200).

"And I'll place one card facedown. Not bad huh Teach?" Jaden asked, a reversed card appearing on his field.

"No not bad, but you must understand that I'm a master tactician. A Kuriboh to me is rather pedestrian. Even with wings, its defense points are still no match for my Ancient Gear Golem. It's a textbook mistake. Don't feel bad. Now let's proceed," Crowler replied confidently as he drew a card, "With the legendary Ancient Gear Golem! Attack that Kuriboh with mechanized melee!" To Jaden's horror, Kuriboh was easily destroyed by the golem's mighty fist.

 _Sorry Winged Kuriboh_. Jaden apologized. Crowler frowned however as Jaden's life points were unaffected.

"Hm… Something's not right. Check your gear boy, your life points haven't changed," Crowler commanded. Jaden merely chuckled as he kept his gaze on Crowler.

"Oh nothing's wrong. On the turn Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, my life points take no damage," Jaden explained. Crowler gasped in astonishment.

"Heh, what do you know: A technique the good doctor _didn't_ know," Alexis smirked.

"No duelist can be expected to remember every technique there is Alexis, especially one that obscure," Zane replied, still not satisfied.

"Well Jaden certainly knew it," Lynn added, "and surviving this attack gives him another chance to fight back."

"Well, I guess your lame little monster saved you there," Crowler taunted. This time it was Jaden's turn to get angry.

"Hey slow down there Teach! You may have beat him, but that doesn't give you the right to call him lame!" Jaden argued.

"Right, I forget how attached you amateurs get to your cards. I apologize," Crowler smirked, not sounding sorry in the least.

"Well you should be because when you destroyed Kuriboh, you set off my trap card: Hero Signal!" Jaden grinned, a bright light shining from his card with an 'H' mark in the spotlight.

"This trap lets me summon my second Elemental Hero, Burstinatrix!" Jaden announced as a pillar of fire erupted from the floor and in the center of it was a female monster in a red bodysuit. Her face was painted with red and white markings and she wore a yellow hat with her gray hair sticking out of it like a cape (ATK: 1200).

"My turn," Jaden declared, drawing a card.

"Hm… Burstinatrix isn't a very powerful monster. If he wants to win, he needs to destroy that golem now," Lynn thought as he looked at his hand. After a few moments, he pulled a card from his hand.

"I play the spell card, The Warrior Returning Alive! It allows me to bring Avian back from the graveyard and into my hand. Then I'll use Polymerization to fuse my two heroes together!" Jaden declared, retrieving his winged warrior. Burstinatrix and Avian then disappeared into a swirling vortex before reemerging as a monster clad in black with red and green markings. Its right hand was actually the mouth of a beast and along its backside were a white wing and a spiked tail.

"There he is, the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman (ATK: 2100)! I hope your Gear Golem is ready for a clash of the titans! So what do you think?" Jaden warned as he reached for his last card.

"I think you're doing very well for an amateur, but next time, try summoning a monster with more attack points," Crowler replied, not worried in the least.

"What's he mean?" Syrus wondered.

"The Flame Wingman only has 2100 attack points Syrus," Zane said from his perch, "It's a shame too. If Wingman were to destroy a monster in battle, the attack points of the destroyed monster would come right out of Crowler's life points."

"And since the golem has 3000 attack points, it would be enough for Jaden to win the duel," Bastion added.

"All right young scholar, I don't intend to rush you, but I'm a busy man. Are you done yet?" Crowler inquired impatiently.

"Of course I'm not done yet. And I knew that my Wingman wasn't strong enough to beat your golem, so I'm playing this field spell card, Skyscraper!" Jaden replied, slotting the card into the end slot of his duel disk. Everyone gasped as the battlefield changed from the inside of a stadium to the middle of a big city in the middle of the night. Illuminated by the moonlight Jaden's monster crossed its arms in an intimidating pose from the top of the tallest skyscraper.

"Oh, this is going to be good," Lynn grinned.

"Go Wingman! Show those heroics and attack that Ancient Gear Golem!" Jaden commanded. Wingman leapt from one of the skyscrapers and flew towards Crowler's machine.

"Fine with me! Bring it on! This silly Skyscraper field spell card hasn't lowered my golem's attack strength by one point!" Crowler pointed out as Wingman hit the ground before leaping up to attack.

"You're right! This field spell hasn't lowered your monster's strength. What it's done is raised _my_ monster's strength by a total of 1000!" Jaden replied. Crowler began to panic as Wingman set itself ablaze.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman (ATK: 2100-3100).

"Wait! Time out!" Crowler called in vain.

"Go Wingman! Attack with skydive scorcher!" Jaden commanded. To the surprise of everyone, Wingman set the golem ablaze before breaking it apart and lowering Crowler's life points.

 **Crowler's LP: 3000-2900**

"This can't be! He was my very best card!" Crowler contemplated as pieces of his golem began to break off. To his surprise, one even nailed him on the head as the rest of the golem began to wobble.

"And because of Wingman's super power, the attack points of that golem are dealt straight to your life points. Sweet huh?" Jaden asked as the golem fell and landed on top of Crowler. The holograms vanished as the crowd erupted into cheers.

 **Crowler's LP: 2900-0**

"That's game! I guessed I passed the test huh Teach?" Jaden asked, a broad smile on his face.

"This isn't possible. How could he possibly beat me?" Crowler groaned, completely ignoring the victor.

"That guy's got a future here," Alexis smiled, clapping for him with the rest of the spectators.

"Yeah, there's no question this guy's good. I wonder if he'll be an Obelisk Blue too…?" Lynn wondered. Zane merely sniffed in disgust and walked off.

"What's his problem?" Valkyria wondered as she and Alexis continued to clap for the young duelist.

"Yeah, alright Jaden!" Syrus cheered.

 _Good, I could use a little competition_. Bastion thought hopefully as Jaden danced around the field in victory. Lynn looked back at her duel spirit and grinned.

 _At last, a chance to be normal. At least for a little while,_ Lynn reflected quietly.


	2. Welcome to Duel Academy

For anyone who knew where it was, Duel Academy was isolated. A massive orange building with a white dome on an island in the middle of the ocean, the building was the heart of the academy where classes were conducted. Inside the main office sat a bald man in a yellow shirt, red tie, black dress pants, shoes and a dark red blazer. A light brown beard covered his chin and thick eyebrows accented his brown eyes. Despite their dark color, they were full of cheer as he stood facing the windows that looked out towards the docks where the students would soon arrive. With him was a woman with sky-blue hair in a yellow business suit. Her blue eyes were focused on the tablet computer she held.

"So Miss Stratton, how goes the preparations?" The man asked.

"Classrooms four and five have just finished setting up their new AV equipment, and the plumbing problem we had in the Ra Yellow dorms were fixed yesterday. Supplies and duel disks have been successfully delivered and set up with our school's server. Couple that with all the repairs we had to finish in the arena and the card supplies delivered to the Card Shack, we're ready as we'll ever be for the new students, Chancellor Sheppard," Miss Stratton listed off.

"Efficient as always. Well done," The chancellor smiled, seeing the choppers on the horizon, "Shall we go and see our new students?"

"Of course sir," Miss Stratton bowed and the two left the room. The main structure however was not the only building on the island. There were also three dorms, each home to a different class of student. The smallest was an orange-painted building overlooking a cliff on the edge of the island. This was the home of Slifer Red. At present, only one person, a lanky male with long black hair sat outside the building. Wearing a white button-down shirt, black pants and dress shoes, his arms were busy cradling a fat brown cat with darker brown stripes. His vision was enhanced by the black glasses he wore, which at present were focused on the sea where he could make out a ferry and several choppers approaching the island.

"Ah excellent. They're right on time," The teacher smiled, looking down at his cat, "shall we go greet them Pharaoh?" The cat mewed in response, uninterested in his owner's desires.

The second building was a larger, yellow modern complex. This was the dorm of Ra Yellow. Having a homey feeling, the building was at present occupied by two people. The first was a blond-haired male teacher with hard blue eyes in a Ra Yellow blazer. The third was a teenager about fifteen years old. Their blue eyes were hidden behind blue-tinted spectacles and the girl's lithe frame was covered by khaki shorts, red T-shirt, and yellow sneakers. The girl threw on a Ra Yellow blazer and darted out of her room in the dorm.

"Dad! I'm going out to greet the students!" The teen girl shouted.

"Hold on Lucia! I'll join you!" The male called back, coming to join her side, "And just so you know, when everyone else gets here, it's Dr. Stratton."

"Yes Dad… Er… Dr. Stratton," Lucia replied bashfully, the two departing to the docks. The third building was the most extravagant. It was a large mansion on the edge of a fresh water lake. White painted walls with blue trim decorated the exterior. This was the dorm of Obelisk Blue. Inside was a woman wearing a variation of the Obelisk Blue girls' uniform consisting of a white jacket with blue trim, a pink skirt and brown heeled boots. Her red hair had one bunch that sticks out over the right side of her head. Her gray eyes were full of excitement as she peeked in the mirror one more time. Fixing her lip gloss, she smiled to herself before heading out to the docks.

"And so it begins again…"

 **Chapter Two: Welcome to Duel Academy**

The docks were busy as a great ferry arrived, unloading students new and old. Most of these students wore red and yellow blazers. The helipad also had its share of company as choppers unloaded students who had the distinction of wearing blue blazers. Among these were Lynn, Alexis and Zane. Awaiting their turn to land, Lynn gasped in surprise at the island and its layout. Nervous and excitement filled the girl as she nervously smoothed her sleeveless Obelisk Blue blazer.

"Whoa! This is going to be home for the next three years? This is going to be awesome!" Lynn grinned, seeing all the students milling about, "All these duelists… Oh I can't wait!"

"Calm down Lynn. It won't be long now," Alexis smiled as the chopper moved to land, "We're next." And that they were as the chopper landed on the helipad. The doors were opened and staff in green Duel Academy uniforms greeted them. Small trucks were waiting to take them to the main building where they were herded into the gymnasium to get their school supplies and the silver Academy-issued duel disk. Armed with new equipment, Lynn and the other new students were led into one of the classrooms. Standing with fellow Obelisk Blues, she wasn't kept waiting long as a large screen came to life with the face of Chancellor Sheppard.

"Welcome, new duelists. I'm Chancellor Sheppard, the headmaster of this school. Though our admission gates were narrow, each of you managed to pass through them with your skills," The chancellor greeted. As the speech continued, some snoring caught her attention. Looking to the source, she saw Jaden half-asleep on his feet. She wasn't the only one to notice as Valkyria appeared at her side.

"Is this kid for real?" Valkyria grimaced.

"Quiet Valkyria," Lynn hushed.

"…As you begin your studies, please don't forget to enjoy yourselves. It is my fond hope that our academy will one day make you all into champions," The chancellor continued.

"Fat chance of that… These losers are no match for the Chazz," One Obelisk mumbled. Lynn glanced over to the source, a pale-faced boy with black hair with a devious grin and garbed in an Obelisk Blue uniform. He noticed Lynn and frowned at her before looking back up at Chancellor Sheppard.

"Now please, get yourselves settled in at your assigned dorms. I hope you find them quite comfortable, depending on how you ranked of course," The chancellor concluded with a slight chuckle. After that, students began to mill out, looking at the information on their Duel Pilots. Lynn walked outside in time to notice Jaden, Syrus and Bastion going over their own information. Jaden and Syrus were both wearing red blazers while Bastion had one that was yellow.

"Hey Bastion, you in red too?" Jaden asked.

"Let's see. Yellow buttons, yellow sleeves, nope. I don't think so," Bastion answered, "I'm in the Ra Yellow dorm."

"Oh… So that's how it works…" Jaden frowned, looking at his red blazer.

"Don't tell me he just figured that out now," Lynn grimaced, face palming. The three males glared at her, apparently having heard her.

"Well yeah? So what? You ever think that maybe I was color blind?" Jaden asked.

"Actually, no we didn't," Bastion said, confused.

"Are you color blind?" Syrus asked. His new friend burst in laughter.

"No, but I could've been!" Jaden laughed, looking at Lynn and then Bastion, "Maybe we'll see you two around the dorms." Lynn couldn't help but smirk.

"I'm afraid not. My dorm is on the other side of the island," Lynn pointed out, jerking her thumb towards the Obelisk Blue manor.

"She's right. Your dorm is over there," Bastion corrected, pointing towards the docks. Lynn nodded in agreement when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking to the source, she saw another girl in an Obelisk Blue uniform with black hair and brown eyes with fair skin. With her was another girl, this one having brown eyes and orange hair.

"Hey newbie. We're going to check out the main hall. Want to join us?" The black-haired girl asked.

"Um sure," Lynn blinked and the three girls pulled her back into the building. As they got back inside, the two new girls looked at Lynn with distaste.

"OK what gives?" The orange-haired girl demanded, "You know you shouldn't socialize with those guys right?"

"What? What do you mean?" Lynn asked, "Is there some rule against talking to guys around here?" The two new girls sighed.

"Clearly somebody doesn't know how things work around here. Mindy, explain to the newbie how things work around here," The orange-haired girl said.

"With pleasure Jasmine. This is how things work around here. We Obelisks are the cream of the crop. We have money, power, or both. Ra Yellows have some skills, but the Slifer Reds are the nobodies with no real talent who barely pass tests. We don't typically socialize with the lower classes here," Mindy explained, "They're not worth our time... Unless they're like really cute or something." Lynn frowned at this.

"No offense newbie, but we just don't want you tarnishing the good name of our dorm by hanging around with dorks like those," Jasmine frowned, pointing towards Jaden and the other students, "We have a reputation to uphold."

 _A class system… Just like back home..._ Lynn reflected sadly, "I think I see where you're coming from."

"Well I don't!" A new voice growled. Turning to the source, the three girls looked up and saw a girl on the upper staircase in a Ra Yellow uniform. Having dark red hair and angry green eyes, she glared hatefully down at the three Obelisk Blue students.

"Who are you?" Jasmine demanded. The frustrated girl held up her Duel Pilot, whose screen showed a list of the students' test scores.

"My name is Syrene and there's something I want explained. Why is it that I scored higher than the three of you on both the written exam and the duel test and I'm stuck in Ra Yellow and you're all in Obelisk Blue?" Syrene demanded, pointing an angry finger towards Lynn, "It should be the other way around! I should be an Obelisk Blue and you should be a Ra Yellow."

"Clearly somebody didn't explain how the dorm system works around here. It's like I just told the newbie here. Students in Slifer Red are the students who have little skill or education. Ra Yellows are the middle class, possessing some skill or education or of some or both. Obelisk Blues like ourselves however happen to have talent _and_ smarts," Jasmine explained.

"Or you just have to be really rich or powerful," Mindy put in, "Get it?"

"That's doesn't make any sense at all! Dueling ranks should be determined by skill not money!" Syrene protested.

"Hey, that's just the way things work around here. Don't get mad at us because you're not good enough to be an Obelisk," Jasmine countered.

"That's something that should be changed!" Syrene demanded. Seeing the sparks flying between the girls, Lynn grew nervous.

"This is not how I wanted my first day at Duel Academy to start," Lynn mumbled woefully. Valkyria appeared at her side, disgusted by the situation.

"This is going nowhere. You should do something before someone gets hurt," Valkyria insisted, "If she believes you to be weak, why not make a point and duel this girl?"

"That's a good idea," Lynn nodded and the spirit vanished, her courage bolstered.

"OK, that's enough you three. Let's get a few things straight. First off, my name is _not_ newbie. It's Lynn. Second, while you do raise a point about the tests, written tests can only show you how good you are on paper and those proctors held back on us. So why don't I show you just how good I really am in a duel?" Lynn challenged, raising her new duel disk. The two Obelisks gasped in surprise at their new friend's outburst. Syrene, on the other hand, grinned like the cat that ate the canary.

"Sure why not? Seeing as how I'm better than you on paper, it shouldn't take long," Syrene grinned.

"Come on then. The arena's just next door," Lynn offered, pointing to the door. Seconds later, the two duelists stood on opposite sides of the arena, duel disks and decks in hand. Lynn's new friends stood behind her off to the side. As they shuffled their decks and prepped their cards, Alexis walked into the arena and spotted her friends.

"I thought I heard some chatter coming from in here," Alexis said, joining her friends, "What's going on?"

"Hey Lex! You're just in time to watch the new girl humiliate this Ra Reject," Jasmine greeted.

"More like watch your new friend _get_ humiliated. After this duel, you won't be able to show your face anywhere near Obelisk Blue!" Syrene taunted.

"I find that unlikely," Lynn frowned, unfazed by the harsh comment.

"Game on!"

"You challenged me so I'll start things off with my Monado Nopon Riki in defense mode!" Syrene began, summoning a round, orange bird monster to the field. Having a plus-shaped mark on its chest, its big round eyes and bright smile gave the impression that the monster was more cute than dangerous (DEF: 1400).

"Aw, he's so cute," Mindy cooed.

"But he's a hardly a threat with those points," Jasmine noticed.

"That's why his strength lies in his special ability. When he's normal summoned, I can search my deck for a trap card with Monado Art in its name and add it to my hand," Syrene explained as a card popped out of her duel disk, "And I choose Monado Art Shield. Next I'll place it facedown as well as one other card and end my turn."

"Did this girl just announce that she was setting a trap card? What kind of idiot is she?" Jasmine wondered.

"This girl is definitely an amateur," Mindy agreed.

 _Not necessarily. Just because she set it down doesn't mean she'll use it yet._ Alexis reflected, _let's see if Lynn picks up on this._

"Very well. Since you have monsters and I don't, I can special summon this card – Lost Legend Darunia!" Lynn announced as a pillar of fire erupted on her field. From it came a giant rock warrior in red robes. Big black eyes glared at Syrene angrily as he crossed his arms in an intimidating pose (ATK: 2000). Valkyria appeared at her mistress's side and frowned.

 _That's strange. She takes a card out of her deck, shows it to me, and then throws it down? Does that seem strange to you?_ Valkyria asked telepathically.

 _That doesn't seem like a smart move at all. Still, I can't afford to stand idle._ Lynn agreed, her gaze on the two facedown cards of her opponent, "Now Darunia! Light up Riki with pyre tower!" The sage let out an intimidating war cry before slamming his fist into the arena. Cracks formed in the floor as a pillar of fire rushed towards the little fluff ball. But to Lynn's surprise, the flames easily consumed the monster.

"Thanks. Your attack set off my trap card Soul Rope!" Syrene announced, one of her cards revealing themselves, "Since you destroyed my monster, I can pay 1000 life points and summon another monster from my deck whose level is four or less and I choose the level four monster, Monado Seer Shulk!" Placing a new card on her duel disk, a golden-haired boy in a red-blue outfit appeared on the field, clutching an odd-shaped blade of blue light (ATK: 1600).

 **Syrene's LP: 4000-3000**

"1600 attack points is nothing I have to worry about. I end with a facedown," Lynn concluded, a reversed card appearing behind her monster.

"Then it's my turn again and I summon Monado Mage Melia (ATK: 1500)," Syrene frowned, calling out a white-haired girl in ornate blue and purple robes, "And I'll boost up Shulk's attack points with the equip spell Monado, Sword of Legends! This useful card boosts his attack points by 800!" Shulk's sword lit up with blue light as its energy coursed through him.

Monado Seer Shulk (ATK: 1600-2400)

"Your sword may give your seer more power but it also triggers Darunia's effect! For every spell card played, he gains a spell counter!" Lynn cautioned as a ball of crimson flame began to orbit her monster.

Lost Legend Darunia (SPC: 0-1)

"That won't matter once Shulk eliminates him!" Syrene countered and her warrior swiftly leapt into battle.

"Not so fast! I counter with Magician's Circle! This trap allows both players to summon a spellcaster with 2000 or less attack points to the field and I choose my Lost Legend Impa (ATK: 2000)!" Lynn warned as her facedown called forth a white-haired woman warrior in black and white armor. A red eye mark with three tears adorned her chest as her hand reached for the sword at her back.

"Why thank you. With your trap card, I can summon this to the field! Come on out Monado Medic Sharla (ATK: 800)!" Syrene announced as a dark skinned woman took the field. Garbed in an orange top, shorts and combat boots, her raven hair, dark eyes, and combat rifle augmented her intimidating form.

"Now that we both have new monsters, I'll continue my attack! Shulk! Destroy her Lost Legend!" Syrene ordered and with one swipe of his mighty sword, Darunia was struck down. Fierce winds emanated from Shulk's blow as Lynn's life points took a big hit.

 **Lynn's LP: 4000-3200**

Glancing down at her life point counter, she was surprised to see she had lost more than expected. The same thing was noticed by the girls at Lynn's back.

"Hold on! Shulk's attack points are 2400 and Darunia had 2000. Lynn should've lost only 400 life points. What gives?" Jasmine demanded.

"It's all thanks to my sword's special ability. If the monster holding it does battle against a monster of a higher level, all battle damage is doubled," Syrene explained, "Darunia is level five and Shulk is level four. Maybe if you scored higher on the exams you'd know that."

"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you," Lynn countered, "Neither of your remaining monsters has the strength to overpower my other Lost Legend."

"For the moment. Right now, I'll end my turn by placing a facedown and using Sharla's effect! For each of my end phases that she survives, I regain 600 life points!" Syrene concluded as a blue aura enveloped and strengthened her.

 **Syrene's LP: 3000-3600**

"Then it's my turn and I summon Lost Legend Saria in attack mode," Lynn said, calling out her green-clad sage (ATK: 1500) and a green spell circle appeared next to her, "And I'll use her effect to draw a card, and if that card is a level four monster, I can summon it."

"Another monster?" Syrene hissed as Lynn drew.

"I drew the level four monster, Four Sword Emerald Hero (ATK: 1900) so I get to call him to the field!" Lynn announced, calling out a green tunic-wearing human male with sword and shield in hand, "And now I'll fuse them together with the spell card Polymerization!" A swirling vortex promptly swallowed her two green-clad monsters. From that vortex emerged the Emerald Hero only his blond hair had turned green and a long green scarf was wrapped around his neck.

"Meet my newest monster: The Deep Forest Warrior (ATK: 2400) and his special ability is now activated! When fusion summoned, if there is no field spell active, I can add a field spell from my deck to my hand," Lynn explained, pulling out her deck. After looking through her cards, she plucked one out.

"I wonder which card the newbie chose?" Mindy wondered.

"And now that I have it, I'll use it! I activate the field spell Magical Citadel of Endymion!" Lynn continued and the arena transformed. The two duelists stood in a great grassy plain accented by white marble columns. A great white tower of stone with round windows resembling spell circles emerged behind Lynn.

"And now that my field spell is out, my monster can now destroy your Shulk!" Lynn declared as her warrior leapt into battle.

"But their monsters have equal strength! They'll both be destroyed!" Jasmine gasped as the two warriors clashed weapons.

"Not necessarily! It's all thanks to my Deep Forest Warrior's special ability! So long as I control a field spell and he remains in attack mode, he can't be destroyed in battle!" Lynn smiled, "And with that, my monster will survive this battle."

"Brainless fool! I still have my trap card Monado Art Shield!" Syrene countered, her facedown card depicting Shulk and a Japanese kanji for defend, "This trap negates your attack and spares my monster!" On the field, Shulk's sword glowed with the defensive power of her trap and repelled Deep Forest Warrior's attack.

"Not bad but your trap card only blocks a single attack which means Impa can still attack! Destroy Sharla with shadow meld strike!" Lynn continued, looking to her monster. The black-clad sage made a hand sign and vanished into her own shadow and promptly reappeared behind Sharla. With kodachi in hand, she swiftly cut her down.

 **Syrene's LP: 3600-2400**

"Alright! No more life points boosts for you Syrene!" Mindy cheered.

"I end my turn," Lynn concluded, "OK Syrene. Let's see what you got." Syrene drew her card and smiled. Slotting it into her duel disk, a green jar with a grinning face appeared in front of her.

"I play Pot of Greed! This spell card lets me draw two cards!" Syrene announced, drawing two cards. At that moment, one of the windows in Lynn's tower began to glow.

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 0-1

"You may have gotten two cards but you also triggered my field spell's effect. Whenever a spell card is played, my citadel gains a spell counter," Lynn cautioned.

"That may be but that won't stop me from summoning Monado Soldier Reyn (ATK: 1400)!" Syrene countered as an orange-haired male appeared on her field. His orange-black style of clothing mimicked Sharla's style of clothing but his bulging muscles and massive orange-bladed driver put Lynn on guard.

"And now for his special ability! He increases the attack points of all Monado monsters I control by 300 points!" Syrene added as her new monster gave its strength to the others.

"That's no big deal. It's not much of a boost," Jasmine commented.

"No it doesn't until I play this spell card!" Syrene growled angrily, its image depicting Shulk and Reyn bumping fists with the image of a Japanese kanji for bond in the background, "Monado Arts Bond lets me choose two Monado monsters on my field with different names and boost their attack points by 800 each until the end phase and I choose to boost Reyn and Melia!" The spell emerged on the field and shot two beams of light onto Syrene's monsters and overlapped with Reyn's power.

Monado Soldier Reyn (ATK: 1400-1700-2500)

Monado Seer Shulk (ATK: 2400-2700)

Monado Mage Melia (ATK: 1500-1800-2600)

"Oh no! Now Syrene's monsters are stronger than Lynn's," Mindy gasped.

"You may have been able to power up your monsters, but your spell gives me another spell counter," Lynn pointed out as another window glowed in her tower.

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 1-2

"That won't make much difference when your life points hit zero! Shulk, attack the Lost Legend!" Syrene ordered. The blond swordsman rushed towards Lynn's monster when it suddenly split into three clones of itself.

"What's going on? Why are there three of them?" Syrene demanded.

"It's thanks to my Legend's special ability. When she's attacked, she switches to facedown defense position and then I shuffle it with two tokens also in facedown defense position. If you destroy my sage, all three cards are destroyed," Lynn explained, "But if you hit my tokens, your monster's strength will decrease by 500."

"So you've forced me to play a game of chance… Well luck won't be with you here! Shulk, destroy the sage on the right!" Syrene ordered. Lynn grimaced as Shulk struck down her sage and the two clones vanished.

"Lucky guess," Valkyria winced, "You're alright."

"And that's not all I got for you! Because I destroyed a monster in defense mode, I can play my trap card!" Syrene grinned, her facedown opening to reveal a card whose image bore Shulk and the Japanese kanji for destruction in the background, "My trap card Monado Art Buster activates whenever I destroy a monster in defense mode. You now take 1000 points of damage!" Lynn gasped in surprise as Shulk slammed his sword in the ground. A shockwave of purple energy struck Lynn as the spell's effect consumed her life points.

 **Lynn's LP: 3200-2200**

"And the damage doesn't end there! Reyn and Melia, attack Deep Forest Warrior!" Syrene continued, her two monsters leaping into action. The two men locked weapons as Melia ducked under Reyn and put her staff's tip against Deep Forest Warrior's chest. With a burst of will, she unleashed a ray of light that knocked Deep Forest Warrior back to Lynn's side as her life points suffered even more.

 **Lynn's LP: 2200-1900**

"It's a good thing Deep Forest Warrior can't be destroyed in battle or Lynn would've lost the duel," Alexis sighed in relief.

"Now I'll place one card facedown and end my turn," Syrene sighed, "And since my turn is over, so is my spell card's power boost."

Monado Soldier Reyn (ATK: 2500-1700)

Monado Seer Shulk (ATK: 2700)

Monado Mage Melia (ATK: 2600-1800)

"And that means I can make a move against them!" Lynn said as she drew, "Deep Forest Warrior! Attack Reyn!" Deep Forest Warrior rushed in to attack only to be stopped by Shulk.

"I don't think so! I play another Monado Art Shield!" Syrene countered. Lynn winced as her warrior returned to her side, unsuccessful in its attack. Looking back into her hand, Lynn frowned.

 _This isn't good. Maybe I should throw down a defense in case she beats my monster._ Lynn frowned, grabbing a card from her hand, "Alright Syrene, I throw a monster facedown in defense mode and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn. I draw!" Syrene said, drawing a card. As she gazed at it, she grinned.

"I don't like the look on her face," Mindy frowned.

"Your Deep Forest Warrior has been a thorn in my side for the last time. I play the spell card, Special Tech Air Slash!" Syrene announced, her spell card depicting Shulk smashing through a metal shield.

"What's that card do?" Lynn wondered.

"Oh it's really useful against cards like your warrior. Since Shulk is on my field, I can destroy any monster in attack position and then the controller of that card loses life points equal to half of its original attack points," Syrene explained as Shulk's sword glowed with green light and rushed towards Deep Forest Warrior. Leaping high into the air, Shulk brought his sword down on Lynn's monster and swiftly destroyed it. The fierce wind from the spell engulfed Lynn as Shulk retreated to Syrene's field.

 **Lynn's LP: 1900-700**

"This isn't good! Without that monster, Lynn's vulnerable," Alexis frowned.

"Come on girl! You can't lose to this reject!" Jasmine called.

"I don't intend to," Lynn assured her, as another spell counter appeared in her tower, "As long as I have life points, I'm still in this."

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 2-3

"Not for long you won't! Shulk! Destroy her facedown monster!" Syrene commanded, her ace monster rushing in to attack again. His sword effortlessly cut through the defense monster, a mage in purple robes and staff.

"You just destroyed Apprentice Magician (DEF: 800). When it's flipped up, I can place a spell counter on a card on my field and then set a new spellcaster type monster of level two or less from my deck," Lynn explained, setting a new card facedown, "And I'll place that spell counter on my citadel."

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 3-4

"That won't help. Reyn! Destroy her new facedown monster!" Syrene ordered, her soldier marching in. Its orange blade crushed the card, revealing another Apprentice Magician.

"You destroyed another Apprentice Magician. Its effects activate again, placing another spell counter on my citadel and summoning a new monster facedown," Lynn said calmly as another facedown monster appeared.

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 4-5

"Grr… Melia! You get rid of her monster!" Syrene growled and her lone female monster charged in to destroy another facedown monster, yet another Apprentice Magician.

"There. Now you're out of monsters!" Syrene grinned.

"Not necessarily. I use Apprentice Magician's effect one more time. I place a spell counter on my citadel and summon another monster facedown," Lynn smiled back, throwing another monster facedown.

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 5-6

"Perhaps but I've already won. Your performance up to this point just confirms what I've known about you from the start. You don't belong in Obelisk Blue," Syrene taunted. Lynn looked down in disappointment, her gaze falling to her deck.

 _This isn't good. Syrene's got me on the ropes. I'm not sure what I can do now._ Lynn wondered.

"Don't listen to her. You're still in this," Alexis insisted, "Anybody can take the lead but the only card that matters it the one that gets played last." Lynn's head snapped up and her gaze went to the other blond Obelisk in the room.

"Alexis is right. You can still turn this around," Jasmine agreed.

"As long as your life points are not zero, you're alright," Mindy chimed in. Syrene was not amused by the girls' confidence in their new friend.

"Butt out you three. Let her draw and accept her defeat," Syrene growled. Lynn looked at her deck, her confidence bolstered once again.

 _One draw left… It's do or defeat time._ Lynn thought as she placed her hand on her deck. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, she drew her card and gazed at it.

"Well? You going to surrender or what?" Syrene asked impatiently.

"Surrender? Dream on Syrene! Because of you, victory is about to be mine," Lynn smirked.

"I doubt that," Syrene huffed.

"Oh really? Then let me show you! First, I'll flip up my hidden monster!" Lynn said as she flipped up her facedown monster. The card was revealed to be an elderly mage in brown robes. A malevolent grin covered his face as he eyed Syrene's monster. Syrene gasped in surprise, recognizing the monster.

"That card…! That's…!" Syrene stammered.

"…My Old Vindictive Magician (ATK: 450) and its ability destroys one monster on my opponent's field when it's flipped face up, and I choose your Monado Seer Shulk!" Lynn continued. Her elderly magician raised its staff towards Shulk and swiftly destroyed it with a burst of magic.

"And that's not all because I'm going to release my Old Vindictive Magician in order to advance summon my Dark Red Enchanter (ATK: 1700)!" Lynn added, her old mage being replaced with a younger mage in blood red robes, "And when he's advance summoned, he gains two spell counters, each of which grant him 300 attack points."

Dark Red Enchanter (SPC: 0-2 / ATK: 1700-2400)

"Your enchanter's strong but even he can't win this whole duel for you," Syrene pointed out.

"Syrene's right. If Dark Red Enchanter attacks now, it won't wipe out Syrene's life points," Jasmine frowned.

"You're right, and that's why I'm not done yet," Lynn announced, reaching into her hand, "I activate the effect of Endymion the Master Magician in my hand. By removing six spell counters from my field spell, I can special summon this card from my hand!"

"What? Special summon from your hand?" Syrene gasped. The lights in the six windows of Lynn's tower glowed and its great doors opened, revealing Lynn's ace monster (ATK: 2700).

Magical Citadel Spell Counters: 6-0

"It's still not enough to win," Syrene hissed.

"For someone who scored really high on tests, you don't know much about my monsters. My master magician has many other abilities. First of which is when he's special summoned by his effect, I can take a spell card from my graveyard and put it in my hand," Lynn continued, her chosen card reappearing from her duel disk and taking it out, "And I choose Polymerization."

"I see now… This duel's over alright," Alexis grinned.

"Now I use Endymion's main ability! I discard a spell card from my hand and destroy one of your monsters!" Lynn declared, discarding the card she just received, "And I'll destroy Reyn! Banishment seal!" Endymion channeled the dark power within him and created a dark vortex that swallowed up Syrene's monster.

" _Now_ she's won," Jasmine smiled.

"The path is clear! Dark Red Enchanter, destroy Melia!" Lynn ordered. The two mages charged at each other, staves charged with magic but Lynn's proved the stronger as it blew up Syrene's monster.

 **Syrene's LP: 2400-1600**

"I'm wide open!" Syrene gasped.

"No, you're beaten!" Lynn corrected, "Endymion, end this duel! Master magic blast!" The master magician leveled its staff at Syrene and a stream of dark magic struck her. The girl screamed in anger as her life points dropped to zero.

 **Syrene's LP: 1600-0**

"It's over Syrene. I win!" Lynn grinned, the holograms disappearing from the field. Syrene glared angrily at Lynn as she put her deck away.

"I don't believe this! How could I lose?" Syrene demanded.

"That's an easy one. You lost because she's better than you," Jasmine gloated.

"Not necessarily," Lynn corrected, walking towards Syrene, "This duel could've easily gone either way."

"Lynn's right. If Syrene hadn't attacked all of those Apprentice Magicians, Lynn wouldn't have had the spell counters she needed to summon Endymion," Alexis pointed out, "If Syrene had just chilled out and waited, she might have had a chance to strike back." Lynn held her hand out to Syrene.

"It was a good duel. With skills like those, I have no doubt you'd be great as an Obelisk someday," Lynn smiled. Syrene huffed in annoyance before taking Lynn's hand and shaking firmly.

"I lost this time but next time will be different," Syrene promised. It was then the PA system in the building came to life with the voice of Miss Stratton.

" _Attention all students. This is Miss Stratton, secretary to Chancellor Sheppard. The main building will be closed in ten minutes. Please be sure to exit in an orderly manner and report to your dorms for your welcome dinners. Tomorrow will be the first day of school and we look forward to seeing you then. That is all,"_ The PA system announced. Surprised at the announcement, the girls gazed at their Duel Pilots' clocks.

"Whoa! Look at the time!" Lynn gasped, "We better get going if we don't want to be late."

"Right. Let's go girls," Alexis insisted. As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, the lights in Obelisk Blue's main gathering hall glowed brightly. The sight of the buffet tables filled to the brim with the finest meals available coupled with the rigorous duel she had endured made Lynn's stomach rumble hungrily. After grabbing a plate, she took a seat at an unoccupied table near the window. Before she could dig in, Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine walked up to her with plates of their own.

"Mind if we sit here?" Mindy asked.

"Uh no. Go right ahead," Lynn replied.

"You were pretty good out there. The way you handled that Ra Reject was awesome," Jasmine grinned, taking a seat.

"I wish you hadn't cut it so close though," Mindy admitted, "You know, amp up her humiliation when you struck that last blow…"

"Lynn ended that duel just fine," Alexis shot back, "When you duel, you always end it when you have the chance."

"Thanks," Lynn said bashfully, "I just didn't want you to fight and get into trouble."

"With skills like that, maybe you'd consider hanging out with us?" Jasmine proposed.

"I'd like that very much," Lynn smiled, holding up her glass. The other three girls raised their glasses to toast.

"To new beginnings," Alexis acknowledged.

"And new friends," Lynn added. The girls nodded in agreement. That was something they could all drink to.


	3. The Psychology of Pride

A new day dawned at Duel Academy, the first day of classes to be exact. Across the island, everyone was getting ready. In the Obelisk Blue dorm, one soul in particular was nervous. Lynn scrambled around her dorm, loading up her book bag with whatever she needed, comparing the contents to her schedule.

"Oh! This is terrible! I should've woken up earlier!" Lynn groaned as she looked over her schedule for the umpteenth time, "It's my first day of class and I'm already running late. Why didn't you wake me up Valkyria?" Hovering overhead, Valkyria sighed at her mistress's actions.

"You shouldn't have been up all night partying with those girls," Valkyria chastised her.

"I was making new friends," Lynn protested, pausing to look up at her spirit, "But I'm sure I asked you to wake me up…"

"I did try to wake you, but you went right back to sleep," Valkyria reminded her, glancing at the clock, "Besides, I'm a duel spirit, not your alarm clock." Before duelist and spirit could argue further, a knock on the door got their attention. Valkyria vanished as Lynn rushed to open it, revealing Alexis, Mindy, and Jasmine.

"Hey Lynn. We were going to walk to class together… Whoa, problems packing?" Alexis asked. Lynn rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed at the mess she had made. Her room had been virtually torn apart, unpacked clothes strewn out from her suitcase, a laptop resting on her vanity. Her books and open book bag were on her bed, messily strewn about along with the overturned bed covers.

"What a mess. Did you keep partying after we went to bed?" Mindy asked.

"I… uh… used to be home schooled. Everything I needed before now was usually waiting at home, but now…" Lynn admitted sheepishly, "A little help?"

 **Chapter Three: The Psychology of Pride**

Minutes later, the girls were sitting at the top row of the classroom of their first class. The teacher had not arrived yet, leaving the students time to gossip amongst themselves. For Lynn, that meant enduring the teasing of her new friends regarding the mess in her room.

"Honestly… You've been home schooled your whole life?" Jasmine asked.

"Yeah. I'm not used to planning or packing things," Lynn admitted.

"It's OK. You'll get used to it," Mindy assured her, "Obelisk Blue's got maids that make our rooms sparkle by the time we get back from class."

"Though with the mess you had in your room, it might take a little bit," Alexis smiled. The four girls shared a laugh at that. A similar mood was shared in another classroom not far away. Jaden and Syrus were sitting, waiting for their own class to start.

"Oh boy… First day of class… Breathe Syrus… It's going to be OK…" Syrus told himself, nervously fidgeting in his seat, "Just a school full of strangers who will probably end up picking on you…"

"I wouldn't say that," A female voice perked up. The two boys looked up and saw an Asian girl in a Slifer Red version of Alexis's outfit standing in the aisle. Her short raven hair was done up in two buns held together by pink ribbons and shuriken-shaped hairpins. Aside from her black backpack, she wore a leather deck holster strapped to her thigh. Her chocolate brown eyes looked down at the seated Slifers with amusement.

"If anyone tries anything funny with you, I'll leave them broken. Promise," The girl grinned, taking a seat next to them. Syrus blushed as Jaden grinned at the girl's confidence. Before anything else could be discussed, a side door into the room opened and Dr. Stratton walked in.

"Good morning everyone. Please take your seats," The doctor ordered, the students quieting to his presence, "My name is Dr. Ryan Stratton and this is Duel Psychology 101. My class is about the study of molding and influencing behavior in duels. Psychology is the study of minds and behavior. Psychologists like I work to study the mental functions of people such as perception, emotion, intelligence…" The doctor paused however as he saw Jaden falling asleep in his chair. Walking over to him with ruler in hand, he slammed it on the desk. The loud snap made Jaden gasp in surprise as he snapped awake. The rest of the class laughed at his response.

"And attention," Dr. Stratton hissed, staring down at Jaden, "I do hope I'm not boring to you young man."

"Uh no sir. I was just listening with my eyes shut," Jaden grinned nervously.

"Oh really? Then tell me this Mr. Yuki, what is the difference between a summon gambit and a bluff trap stratagem?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"I don't know," Jaden replied.

"You don't know eh? Well then, perhaps you can tell me the difference between a confidence relay and a teamwork combo break maneuver?" Dr. Stratton inquired.

"A confidence and chain what? Can you repeat that for me?" Jaden asked. Snickers filled the room as the doctor looked at the Slifer with a look of utter disgust.

"Let's get one thing straight Jaden Yuki. You may be the boy who bested Dr. Crowler during the entrance exams but your reputation and luck do not entitle you to sleep in my classroom," The doctor declared, "Now then, do we have any questions before we move forward?" One student in the back row raised his hand.

"Duel Monsters is a card game. What good is psychology in a duel?" The student asked.

"An excellent question. Sometimes in a duel, you may find yourself in a disadvantageous situation without the cards you require. However, by knowing how you and your opponent think, you may change the tides," Dr. Stratton explained, "I can teach you how to hide your fears, bluff your way through danger, see through your opponent's tricks… But that's only if you know how."

"Really? I've never heard of psychology being used in a duel like that," The student frowned.

"Well if it helps, there are some pretty famous duels where psychology played a role. One example we'll look at today is during the Duelist Kingdom finals…" Dr. Stratton began, launching into his lecture. As he began class, Chazz looked down at the Slifers two rows below and smirked to himself.

"So that's the kid who beat Crowler. He doesn't look so tough," Chazz thought to himself. Despite the distance in seating, the girl next to them heard him and glared back up at him. She locked gazes with him.

"Neither do you," She mouthed to him. Chazz grimaced at the girl's boldness before focusing on the lesson again.

"…And that's an example of how pride can be a dangerous thing. Now, are there any questions?" Dr. Stratton asked. One Slifer raised his hand.

"Uh sir? I still don't understand. How can pride be a problem in dueling?" The student asked, "I thought we were supposed to be proud of our cards?"

"Pride has nothing to do with cards. It has to do with one's performance. When Keith Howard and Joey Wheeler faced each other in Duelist Kingdom, Keith's overconfidence in his plays and his swelled ego blinded him to the traps of his opponent. Hence why he lost out on the competition and the championship opportunity," Dr. Stratton replied.

"Leave it to the slackers to miss the point," Chazz smirked. Though Chazz's tone was quiet, his comment once again didn't go unheard. Both the Slifer girl and the doctor heard him.

"Is there something you'd like to add Mr. Princeton?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"Uh no sir. Just… uh… Taking it all in," Chazz replied.

"Or trying to," The girl snickered.

"You got something you want to say to me?" Chazz asked, glaring down at the Slifer. The Slifer girl winced as she stood up from her seat.

"Yeah, what's your problem with Slifers? You and the other Obelisks been looking at us like scuffs on your boots since we walked in the door," The girl asked.

"That's pretty much all you are," Chazz grinned. Sensing a fight coming on, the doctor coughed into his hand.

"If you two are going to fight, why don't we take the opportunity and have a more practical lesson on duel psychology?" The doctor suggested, pulling out two duel disks, "Chazz! Atsuko! How about it? Want to help me with the lesson?" A feral grin graced Chazz's face as the Slifer Red girl stared hatefully up at him.

"A duel with this Slifer? Sure. Works for me," Chazz grinned, coming down to take a duel disk. The girl came up to the teacher and grabbed the other. Dr. Stratton reached under his desk again and pressed a button, causing the desk to recede into the floor and turning the classroom into a small duel arena.

"Excellent. This duel will give me an opportunity to explain how duel psychology works. Everyone! Pay attention and be sure to take lots of notes about our participants' actions. We'll discuss them when the duel is done," Dr. Stratton ordered, looking at Chazz and Atsuko.

"Alright Teach but just so you know, there won't be much to analyze once I pulverize this slacker," Chazz taunted.

"This 'slacker' has a name. It's Atsuko Fujibayashi and once I defeat you, you won't forget it!" The girl declared boldly.

"Game on!"

 **Atsuko's LP: 4000**

 **Chazz's LP: 4000**

"Alright, ladies first and I'll begin with one card facedown and one monster in defense mode. That's all for now," Atsuko said, her two cards materializing before her.

"You call that a move? I summon Chthonian Soldier in attack mode!" Chazz countered, a gray armored soldier with red eyes joining his side (ATK: 1200), "Now attack the reject's facedown monster!" The soldier let out a battle cry as its sword cut through her monster, a chimp-like monster wearing a kabuto and red armor (DEF: 300).

"How about that? A chimp for a chump," Chazz mocked.

"Except this chimp just made a monkey out of you!" Atsuko countered as she shuffled through her deck, "When Shien's Footsoldier is destroyed in battle, I can special summon a level three or below Six Samurai from my deck to the field. I choose Six Samurai Kamon!" A pillar of fire erupted in front of her as a samurai in crimson armor appeared, a pair of trench knives in its hands (ATK: 1500).

"Big deal. I'll just place this facedown and end my turn," Chazz grimaced, a facedown card emerging behind his monster.

"Hmm. A perfect example of a summon gambit and an aggression rush. Make notes of this class," Dr. Stratton interrupted, "Now go ahead and make your move Atsuko."

"Hai hakase," Atsuko consented, drawing a card and gazed at her hand for a moment.

"What's the matter? Can't make a move?" Chazz taunted. Atsuko smiled to herself.

"Oh I'll move alright and I'll play another samurai – My Six Samurai Iroh!" Atsuko declared. A thick mist hovered over her field briefly as a samurai in purple armor emerged, a katana cradled over his shoulder (ATK: 1700).

 _Fine by me! No matter which card you attack with, we'll both take damage thanks to my Chthonian Soldier's special ability._ Chazz smirked.

"And I'm not stopping there! I play my spell card Book of Moon!" Atsuko added, her spell materializing next to her.

"Oh yeah? What's that supposed to do?" Chazz asked.

"Glad you asked. My spell flips any monster facedown like your Chthonian Soldier!" Atsuko explained as the monster flipped over and reverted to its facedown form, "And now that it's facedown, it's vulnerable to my Iroh and its effect!"

"Oh yeah? What effect?" Chazz demanded angrily.

"When Iroh attacks a facedown defense position monster, he destroys it without activating its effect!" Atsuko said as her monster rushed in. Its katana glowed with dark power as it struck Chazz's card and removed it from the field, "And with no defense, you're now vulnerable! Kamon, attack him directly!" The samurai's trench knives glowed with flame as it swung them at Chazz, surrounding him in flames as his life points suffered.

 **Chazz's LP: 4000-2500**

"You'll pay for that!" Chazz growled, drawing a card, "I reveal my facedown card, Call of the Haunted. I'll use its effect to bring back Chthonian Soldier! Then I'll play the spell card Infernal Reckless Summon! This card allows us to call all duplicates of the monsters we have on the field. So I'll call two more Chthonian Soldiers!"

"Lucky you. I don't have any duplicates of Iroh or Kamon," Atsuko remarked as three identical monsters appeared on Chazz's field (ATK: 1200 X 3), "But numerous weak fools are still weak."

"Not once I play this! I play the equip spell Chthonian Alliance! This card raises the attack points of one of my soldiers by 800 points for each monster with the same name as him," Chazz gloated as the center soldier tripled in size and attack points.

Chthonian Soldier (ATK: 1200-2000-2800-3600)

"OK, that might prove to be a problem," Atsuko winced as her facedown opened, its image depicting the Six Samurai running from a horde of dragons, "But with my Fall Back trap card, I can pull my two samurai out of harm's way." Atsuko removed the two cards from her duel disk and the samurai vanished.

"Thanks loser. Without those samurai in my way, you're toast! Chthonian Soldiers attack!" Chazz ordered, his three soldiers leaping for the kill. Atsuko merely crossed her arms and smirked as a green barrier appeared and blocked the attacks. Shockwaves erupted from the battle as the barrier pushed all three soldiers back.

"What happened? You should've lost!" Chazz demanded angrily.

"Guess I forgot to mention. When using the Fall Back trap card, I am also granted the ability to repel two attacks. So I blocked the strike from the big solder and one of your little ones," Atsuko explained.

 **Atsuko's LP: 4000-2800**

"Fine, save your monsters. They can't save you if they're in your hand," Chazz taunted as his turn ended.

"You're right Chazz but they won't be staying there long. Since your end phase has come, my two samurai return to my field!" Atsuko countered her two warriors returning, "And they're not alone! Since I have at least one Six Samurai on my field, I can special summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai in attack mode!" Between the two samurai appeared a third but unlike its younger counterparts, this one was much older. Glad in blue armor, the samurai's silver hair and long beard indicated that the man was one of wisdom and experience (ATK: 2100). The appearance of the new samurai made Chazz cringe in doubt.

"And the fun doesn't stop there. I equip my Grandmaster with the Scroll of Parity equip spell card!" Atsuko continued as the old man began reading from an old scroll, "Then I'll have him attack the Chthonian Soldier equipped with Chthonian Alliance!" Grandmaster rolled up the scroll and tied it to his belt. His hand went to his sword as he charged towards Chazz's biggest monster.

"Fine by me! If you want your monster to get clobbered, I'm more than happy to oblige! Chthonian Soldier counter attack!" Chazz ordered, his biggest monster lumbering forward. Both monsters charged and swung their swords at one another. The clang of steel rung out throughout the room as the two monsters struck at one another. A terse moment followed as the two monsters stood facing away from one another, their blades out. The silence was broken however when Chthonian Soldier's sword shattered and its holder collapsed.

"What?! What happened? My monster had yours beat!" Chazz accused as his monster faded away.

 **Chazz's LP: 2500-1600**

"Chigao! It's my scroll's effect. During my battle phase, the monster equipped with it gains a unique ability. When it battles an opponent's monster, the opponent's monster can't use its special ability or any power up effects active on the field," Atsuko explained, "With the scroll, my monster could not only beat yours, but it could also protect me from the effect of your monster."

"Huh? What's she talking about? What effect?" Syrus wondered.

"When you destroy a Chthonian Soldier in battle and inflict damage to your opponent, you take the same amount of damage to your life points," Dr. Stratton explained, "Atsuko knew that though and she decided it would best to negate its effect before going in for the attack. A prime example of a cancel strike. Make a note everyone." The duel paused again as the students took notes.

"…I still don't get it," Syrus frowned, scratching his head in confusion as he struggled to understand what was going on.

"Just keep watching Sy. Atsuko's not done yet," Jaden insisted.

"Now that the big guy is out of the way… Iroh! Kamon! Destroy the other two Chthonians!" Atsuko continued, her monsters leaping into battle. The two soldiers proved no match for the superior strength of Atsuko's monsters as their blades were knocked away before they were cut down. The swords however did not just vanish. Instead they flew towards Atsuko and struck her.

"Weren't you listening to the doctor? You take the same amount of damage I do!" Chazz pointed out as the damage from both battles set in.

 **Atsuko's LP: 2800-2500-2000**

 **Chazz's LP: 1600-1300-800**

"Maybe so, but I'm still ahead and this facedown will help keep it that way!" Atsuko replied calmly as she set a card and ended her turn.

"We'll see about that!" Chazz challenged, drawing a card, "And I got just the thing to put you in your place!"

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Atsuko asked, her curiosity piqued.

"This: The spell card Polymerization! With it, I'll fuse the Dark Blade and Pitch Dark Dragon that are in my hand!" Chazz continued as a knight in black armor and a black wyvern emerged onto his field. The two were drawn into a vortex and from it came the knight now mounted on a bigger version of the dragon (ATK: 2200).

"Meet Dark Blade the Dragon Knight, otherwise known as your executioner!" Chazz laughed as he slotted in the final card in his hand, "And with the equip spell Fusion Weapon, that's a guarantee because my fusion monster gains 1500 attack and defense points!" The sword in the dragon knight's hand disappeared, replaced with a crude-looking blaster arm that it levelled at Atsuko's field.

Dark Blade the Dragon Knight (ATK: 2200-3700)

"Take this you loser! Dark energy force!" Chazz ordered, his knight firing a blast at Kamon, "I told you that you were no match for me."

"I disagree!" Atsuko countered, revealing her facedown card. Its image depicted the Grandmaster of the Six Samurai stepping into the path of a dragon's fire.

"What's that?" Chazz demanded as Grandmaster of the Six Samurai stepped in the way to take the hit, "I aimed for Kamon, not the old man!"

"It's all thanks to my facedown card, a handy little trap called Honor Edict. With this card, I can redirect an attack towards my Grandmaster of the Six Samurai. Then I'm allowed to search my deck for a monster whose attack points are equal to or less than the amount of the damage dealt this turn and place it in my hand," Atsuko explained as she shuffled around in her deck, "And I think this card will do." She held up a card depicting a green-clad samurai carrying twin blades.

 **Atsuko's LP: 2000-400**

"Fine then. Add all the samurai you want. They're still no match for my monster. You might as well accept you lost right now," Chazz stated.

"I never accept defeat," Atsuko vowed, as her new samurai emerged on the field, "I summon Six Samurai Nisashi (ATK: 1400)!"

"Big deal," Chazz scoffed.

"Oh it's a very big deal! With three samurai on the field, I can play this spell card! Six Strike – Triple Impact!" Atsuko declared as the samurai glowed with their respective elements.

"And what does that card do?" Chazz asked.

"It's a powerful spell I can only play when I have three Six Samurai on my field. Now I can destroy all your face up monsters!" Atsuko explained as her three monsters held up their weapons. Their combined energy swirled together as they each became bathed in the aura of the other samurai. Powered up, they leapt into battle with the dragon knight. Nisashi pinned its wings with his twin swords as Irou removed the dragon's head just as Kamon plunged his trench knives into its rider's chest. The result of the battle consumed all the monsters in an explosion but only Atsuko's remained standing.

"No! This can't be!" Chazz gasped in horror, the blades of the samurai glinting dangerously in the aftermath of their combination attack.

"Nisashi attack and end this duel!" Atsuko commanded. The twin blades of the green samurai flashed as he swiftly struck Chazz, wiping out his life points.

 **Chazz's LP: 800-0**

"Let this be a lesson to you. When you threaten a samurai, make sure your blade is sharper than your tongue!" Atsuko cautioned coldly as the holograms faded away.

"Not possible! You drew a lucky card and stumbled into the win," Chazz accused her angrily.

"...Luck had nothing to do with it but if you need proof, take a look at this. This card was in my hand since the start of our duel," Atsuko said, holding up the last card in her hand. It depicted a samurai warlord in crimson armor standing imposingly.

"Great Shogun Shien?" Chazz gasped, realizing he had been had.

"I don't get it. How could that card have helped Atsuko win?" A Ra Yellow student wondered.

"Easy. It's a monster you can special summon when you have two or more Six Samurai on the field," Atsuko explained, "And since the start of turn two, I had two samurai on the field…"

"Oh wait! I get it! If you had summoned Shien during your second turn, Chazz's life points would've been history!" Syrus realized, "But why didn't you do that?"

"Yeah why didn't you? He certainly deserved it after the way he talked about us," Jaden frowned.

"It was to make a point," Dr. Stratton said, stepping between the two duelists, "And a good point was made here." The doctor then looked at all the students.

"I hope you all learned something from this. Chazz here has demonstrated that excessive pride can be a dangerous thing. It clouds your judgment and leaves you unable to see the bigger picture in a duel. The ranking you received from the opening exams doesn't necessarily indicate the level of skill you possess. One can always grow and be stronger… Or let your skills decay from lack of challenge or experience," The doctor explained sagely. Before he could go further, the bell rang.

"Alright, that'll do for today. Your homework is to review what we've discussed. Class dismissed," Dr. Stratton announced, taking the two duel disks back. The students packed up and filed out. Jaden and Syrus waited however for Atsuko to finish packing.

"Hey Atsuko! That was a great duel!" Jaden greeted.

"Arigato," Atsuko acknowledged.

"How'd a duelist as good as you end up in Slifer Red?" Syrus asked.

"I'm not a fan of written exams. I prefer more… practical approaches to education," Atsuko explained, slinging her pack over her shoulder.

"I'm with you there. Homework and written tests are not my thing either…" Jaden agreed as the trio left class. Lingering in the hallway, Chazz and two of his friends frowned in in disgust at the three Slifers.

"I can't believe you lost to that Slifer slacker," One of his buddies growled.

"What happened today was just a fluke. She just got lucky. If I challenge her again, I know I'll win next time," Chazz assured them, walking up behind her, "Hey Atsuko. You got a second?"

"Oh it's you," Atsuko replied icily.

"I just wanted to say that I had a bad hand last game and I was hoping for a rematch," Chazz offered.

"A bad hand? Seemed to me like you knew what you were doing in class today," Atsuko smirked, "But if you want to be humiliated again, I'd be happy to oblige." Jaden and Syrus snickered at their new friend's confidence. Chazz didn't find it so funny however as he glared at the two boys.

"You got a problem slacker?" Chazz asked angrily.

"Oh no problem at all. I was just thinking about how easily you got beat," Jaden replied, "Atsuko totally schooled you so if you don't mind, how about I duel you in her place?"

"I can't ask you to do that. This guy is my problem," Atsuko insisted.

"Nobody asked you Slifer!" One of the Obelisks snapped.

"Hey it's cool. You're the duelist who defeated Crowler, Jaden right? You might be the kind of challenge I'm looking for," Chazz said, when the warning bell went off, "After classes today, meet me at Obelisk Arena. We'll settle this there."

"Works for me," Jaden agreed. For the rest of the day, it was difficult for Jaden to concentrate on classes as he focused on his upcoming duel with Chazz. By the time the final class let out, Jaden was itching to put on his duel disk. He darted out of his final class and went straight for the arena. First to arrive, he was shortly joined by Atsuko and Syrus.

"Uh guys? Are you sure we should be in here?" Syrus asked nervously, "There's no one around."

"It should be fine Sy. We're students here after all," Jaden assured him as Chazz walked in, "Hey Chazz! Glad you could make it."

"And miss the chance to show you who's top dog around here? I wouldn't miss it," Chazz smirked confidently as he shuffled his deck and loaded into his duel disk.

"We'll see Chazz! Get your game on!" Jaden challenged, holding up his loaded duel disk.

 **Chazz's LP: 4000**

 **Jaden's LP: 4000**

"I'll start things off. I summon Chthonian Soldier in attack mode!" Chazz countered, his gray armored soldier with red eyes joining his side (ATK: 1200), "and then I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn. Let's see what you got."

"No problem! I got Elemental Hero Sparkman (ATK: 1600)!" Jaden countered as a yellow and blue armored warrior appeared on his field, "Now attack Chthonian Soldier with static shockwave!" Electricity flowed into the hands of Jaden's hero as it launched a stream of lightning that engulfed Chazz's monster. However, some of it reflected off the monster's sword and back at Jaden.

 **Chazz's LP: 4000-3600**

 **Jaden's LP: 4000-3600**

"Forget already Slifer slacker? When Chthonian Soldier is destroyed, we both take damage from the battle," Chazz reminded him.

"That's not a big deal. I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn," Jaden said as a facedown emerged behind his monster.

"Not a big deal huh? We'll see about that!" Chazz growled, drawing a card, "I reveal my facedown card, Call of the Haunted. I'll use its effect to bring back Chthonian Soldier! Then I'll play the spell card Inferno Reckless Summon! This card allows us to call all duplicates of the monsters we have on the field. So I'll call two more Chthonian Soldiers!" The three Chthonians quickly reappeared on Chazz's field.

"This tactic again? After the way it failed last time, you'd think Chazz would try something new," Syrus remarked.

"Now for something new! I release one of my soldiers and advance summon Chthonian Emperor Dragon," Chazz announced, one of his soldiers disappearing from the field. In its place appeared a large dragon with red gems and emerald accenting its large black and gold body (ATK: 2400).

"OK, that's new," Atsuko remarked.

"Time to power down your Sparkman! Chthonian Emperor Dragon attack!" Chazz commanded. The dragon roared as it launched a crimson flame stream that incinerated Sparkman.

 **Jaden's LP: 3600-2800**

"Not bad Chazz but your attack triggered my trap card Hero Signal! Since my Sparkman bit the dust, I can special summon Elemental Hero Clayman from my deck!" Jaden warned as a new monster appeared. Possessing a spherical red head and a block clay body, it crouched down in a defensive stance (DEF: 2000).

"Big deal. What else you got?" Chazz asked.

"I got this: The Warrior Returning Alive spell card returns Sparkman to my hand and I'll summon him back for another chance!" Jaden announced as his hero reappeared (ATK: 1600), "And I'll equip him with the Spark Blaster equip spell card!" As Jaden slotted in his spell, a handgun appeared in Sparkman's hand connected to his wrist by multiple cables.

"Oh yeah? What good is that going to do you?" Chazz asked.

"It's going to help me take down your dragon. You see Chazz, Spark Blaster is a weapon with three shots, each with the ability to change the battle mode of a monster on the field," Jaden explained as his hero aimed his new weapon at the dragon, "I'll use it to switch your dragon to defense mode!" A stream of energy fired from the gun and enveloped the dragon, forcing it into a defensive stance (DEF: 1500).

"No my dragon!" Chazz growled, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh I dare Chazz! Sparkman attack! Static shockwave!" Jaden ordered, his hero firing another electric blast. This one struck the dragon and shattered it into pixels.

"And now that he's gone, I'll use the Spark Blaster on Sparkman himself so that he can go into defense mode," Jaden said as his monster turned his own energy on himself, switching into defense mode (DEF: 1400), "Then I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn.

"You coward! First you take out my monster and then hide in defense mode? I'll show you! I release one Chthonian Soldier to advance summon Mefist the Infernal General!" Chazz said, his second Chthonian Soldier disappearing in place of a horse mounted knight with a large black axe (ATK: 1800), "Now Mefist, attack Sparkman with axe of darkness!" The horse neighed in challenge as it sprinted towards Jaden's monster. The knight drew back his axe and swung.

"It's not over yet!" Jaden said, his facedown card flipping open, "I play Hero Barrier! This trap card can block an attack just as long as I have an Elemental Hero on my field." A barrier of light wrapped around Sparkman, deflecting the knight's axe harmlessly.

"Once again, Chazz proves his incompetence," Atsuko noted. A vein bulged on Chazz's head from the girl's comment.

"Nobody asked you!" Chazz growled, turning his attention back to Jaden, "What else you got?"

"I got this, the spell card Pot of Greed! With it I draw two cards," Jaden said, increasing his hand, "And now I'll play Polymerization! With it, I can fuse the Sparkman and Clayman on my field in order to create the Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!" A swirling vortex swiftly appeared and swallowed up Jaden's monsters and from that came a massive monster in yellow and purple armor. An electrical core sparking with energy was embedded in its chest as it appeared (ATK: 2400).

"How about that? This guy powerful enough for you?" Jaden taunted. It was then a dark aura enveloped Jaden's new monster and it floated over to Chazz's side.

"Nani? What's going on?" Atsuko wondered, studying the field. It was then she noticed the trap on Chazz's field that had opened.

"Simple. I played a trap! It's a particularly nasty one called Chthonian Polymer. Whenever you fusion summon, I can sacrifice a monster and take control of yours," Chazz explained as his last Chthonian Soldier disappeared along with his trap.

"You may have stolen my giant but I haven't normal summoned yet! I'll summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode and end my turn," Jaden said, throwing his furry monster down (DEF: 200).

"Seriously? That fur ball is all you got? Thunder Giant, turn that hairball into ash! Bolting thunder!" Chazz ordered, his stolen hero launching a barrage of lightning that destroyed Jaden's monster.

"This isn't over yet. I summon Elemental Hero Avian in defense mode and then I'll throw a facedown and end my turn," Jaden said, his winged warrior appearing in a kneeling position, arms crossed in defense (DEF: 1000).

"Seriously? That's all?" Chazz asked, drawing a card, "Then this duel is over! I play the spell card Stop Defense, forcing bird boy into attack mode!" The Slifers gasped in surprise as Chazz's spell forced Jaden's hero into a standing stance (ATK: 1000).

"That's not good!" Jaden winced.

"It's over! Thunder Giant, destroy Avian!" Chazz ordered, the giant charging up energy.

"No! If Chazz's attack connects, Jaden will be defenseless," Syrus gasped. However, Jaden's fear quickly turned to confidence.

"Yeah right. I play the trap card Mirror Gate!" Jaden countered, revealing his facedown card, "Since one of my Elemental Heroes has been attacked, I can now make our monsters switch sides." The trap glowed, filling the arena floor with light. When it faded, Thunder Giant was back on Jaden's field and Avian was now on Chazz's field.

"No! My monster!" Chazz growled. Unable to stop the trap effect, Thunder Giant launched his energy at Avian, destroying it.

 **Chazz's LP: 3600-2200**

"Alright! Jaden got his monster back," Syrus cheered.

"And with it, this duel," Atsuko agreed. Chazz's anger grew as he saw Jaden confidently smirking at him.

"Don't think this is over yet," Chazz threatened, reaching for his hand.

"Hey! What are you kids doing in here?" A new voice demanded. All the teens in the room turned to see Dr. Stratton standing in the arena doorway and very unhappy.

"Oh hello Doc. Chazz and I were just having a duel," Jaden replied.

"Not in here you're not. The arena's off-limits unless you have a staff member with you," Dr. Stratton corrected him, pulling out a remote. Pressing some buttons on it, the holograms on the duel floor vanished.

"Oh come on hakase! The duel was just getting interesting!" Atsuko protested.

"No buts. That's enough for tonight!" Dr. Stratton ordered, "Let's go."

"OK Dr. Stratton," Chazz acknowledged, putting his deck away, "I guess you got lucky today Jaden. Next time, you won't be. Catch you later." Calmly, Chazz walked out of the arena, leaving an angrily Jaden alone on the arena floor.

"This stinks! I had him on the ropes!" Jaden fumed angrily as he put his deck away. Reluctantly, the rest of the group was led outside of the building by Dr. Stratton. Once outside, the Slifers started walking back to the dorms.

"Don't feel too bad Jaden. Considering how the match was going, I'm relatively certain you would've won," Atsuko insisted.

"Yeah but still… I'd like to have known that for certain," Jaden sighed.

"Just let it go Jay," Syrus said.

"Yes. A rival like him will undoubtedly challenge you another day," Atsuko assured him as the trio reached the dorm, "And someday, I hope to as well. You would make a worthy rival…" Jaden paused in his tracks, looking at the girl and grinned.

"I'd like that. Let's hang out some more some time," Jaden offered, holding out his hand. Atsuko smiled slightly before taking it and shaking it.


	4. Promotion Problems

A quiet morning dawned on Duel Academy, but the day was far from ordinary. After weeks of classes, the day of the first promotion exams had arrived. Everyone is prepping for the exams in their own way. In the Slifer dorm, Syrus sat at his desk fully dressed a headband with Monster Reborn spell cards wrapped around his head. Two scented candles sat on his desk, filling the room with a pleasant mint scent as he prayed.

"Please! I really want to succeed today! I don't want to wear this red blazer forever. Oh not that it doesn't look good on you Slifer!" Syrus prayed, looking up at the Slifer the Sky Dragon poster that sat on the wall, "Please give me a sign…" His 'sign' came when a loud ringing sound scared him. Turning to the source, he saw an alarm clock ringing in Jaden's bunk. The boy slept as if it wasn't even there.

"Oh, it's just the alarm clock… And Jaden is sleeping right through it," Syrus sighed, getting up from his desk, "How can he sleep at a time like this?" He reached over Jaden to shut if off but just as he reached the off button, Jaden turned over quickly.

"Wrong! Because I played a trap…" Jaden mumbled, knocking Syrus aside before drifting back to sleep.

"Oh why can't he dream in defense mode when I need to wake him up?" Syrus moaned, picking himself up off the floor.

"Why not just let him keep dreaming period?" A third voice asked. Syrus looked up at the young man in the top bunk, a husky fellow with black hair.

"What do you mean Chumley? If Jaden doesn't wake up, he'll miss the tests and miss out on the chance to get promoted to Ra Yellow," Syrus pointed out.

"And that's my point exactly. After the written tests this morning, we get paired off with people in our dorms and have to face them in a duel. I don't know about you, but I don't want to get paired up with the guy who beat Dr. Crowler," Chumley protested, "So if we let the competition sleep in, we make out. You get it?"

"Oh I get it alright and I also get why you've been in Slifer Red for two years now," Syrus replied disgusted, looking at the alarm clock again, "The test starts in half an hour... Jaden wake up!" Meanwhile across campus, Lynn was having sweet dreams of her own. Her own alarm clock went off, Valkyria floating overhead and watching Lynn sleep right through it.

"Oh brother. Not again. Hey Lynn! Wake up!" Valkyria shouted, floating down to her side. The female duelist groaned, looking up to see her duel spirit in her face. Surprised, Lynn screamed and fell out of bed.

"I'm up!" Lynn groaned, "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get moving! If you don't hurry up and get ready for school, you're going to get demoted to Ra Yellow!" Valkyria reminded her, "Today's the promotion exams. You need to wake up!"

 **Chapter Four: Promotion Problems**

"You picked a real bad time to sleep in Lynn!" Lynn told herself, running full sprint down the road. Valkyria appeared at Lynn's side, floating.

"You better hurry. The test begins in five minutes," Valkyria urged.

"I know," Lynn gasped, picking up the pace. As she came over the hill, she could see the main building.

"Almost there!" Lynn frowned but along with the building she could Jaden and a large brunette woman with glasses, pink shirt and overalls. They were behind an old pickup truck, struggling to push it up the hill.

"Oh no! They're in trouble," Lynn groaned, skidding to a stop.

"We don't have time to help them. We have got to get to that test," Valkyria protested. Lynn glanced at them and then the school and back again. Jaden and the lady were clearly struggling to push the truck. Worse, the truck was slowly rolling backwards.

"I can't just leave them like that," Lynn gasped, changing her course. Running around to the back of the truck, she grabbed hold and pushed. With Lynn's additional aid, the trio were able to get the truck to the top of the hill where it could be put into park.

"Oh thank goodness! I was afraid no one else would come!" The lady grunted, "Thanks for your help."

"Ah it was no big deal," Jaden grinned, "Thanks to you, I can skip the gym."

"I'm glad everything worked out, but now we're late for our test! Come on!" Lynn urged, turning back to the school. Satisfied things were normal, the duo ran inside. The lady stood by her truck for a moment longer, staring at the backs of the two students.

"Such good kids… I'll remember this," The lady promised as she turned her attention to the truck's cargo. Lynn and Jaden split off into different classrooms. Lynn arrived to find Dr. Stratton sitting at his desk watching over the students.

"You're late. Grab a test and get moving," Dr. Stratton ordered quietly, handing the girl a copy of the test.

"Yes sir. Sorry for the late arrival," Lynn apologized, taking the test, "I ran into some trouble with a truck and..."

"I don't want excuses. I want you to work now," Dr. Stratton chastised, glancing at the timer on his desk, "You've got forty-five minutes to complete the test. Go." Lynn nodded and dashed to the closest seat to begin working. Glancing up from her own work, Alexis frowned.

 _Poor Lynn. She's missed at least fifteen minutes on the test already. She'll have to pick up the pace if she wants to finish._ Alexis thought. In an adjacent classroom, Jaden ran in to be greeted by Professor Banner with a copy of the test for him. Picking it up, he started in on it before going back to sleep. Unbeknownst to him, Dr. Crowler was at the doors peeking in at him.

 _You may be able to sleep through the written test but you'll never get past the field test._ Dr. Crowler snickered, "When the field test begins, it'll be a nightmare!" Satisfied that Jaden would fail the written test, Dr. Crowler left the classroom area and headed upstairs to enact part two of his plan. Forty-five minutes later, the written tests were over. Now on lunch break, Lynn was in the cafeteria with her friends discussing the test.

"Glad that's over," Lynn sighed.

"Were you able to answer all the questions Lynn?" Alexis asked.

"Just barely. I had to rush through the last few," Lynn admitted, "How about you?"

"It wasn't anything too tricky," Alexis said, "It's the field test that's my concern now."

"Yeah, good thing the rare cards will be here soon," Mindy perked up.

"Rare cards?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah. During promotion time, the school card shop gets a shipment of new rare cards for sale. Everyone will be scrambling for them," Jasmine explained.

"So when do they arrive?" Lynn wondered.

"Should be shortly. They always arrive after lunch," Mindy said, looking up at the clock, "You going to cash in and try to get some?" Lynn shook her head.

"No. My deck's pretty powerful already. I want to see how it holds up for this exam," Lynn replied, "I'm only concerned about who I will be paired up with for the field test…"

"It could be anyone in Obelisk Blue, us included," Mindy shuddered.

"Whoever it is, I'm ready. With this deck, I'm not afraid of any duelist on this island," Lynn said confidently.

"There's your first mistake," A familiar voice scoffed. The four girls turned to the source – Zane. His gaze disapprovingly studied Lynn.

"Overconfidence is unbecoming of a duelist," Zane frowned, "I've seen you duel. A lot of the strategies you've used so far have already been used by pros in the past or have been easily replicated by other duelists."

"I'm still trying to find what works for me," Lynn protested, "Some of these cards used to belong to my mom and I'm trying to find ways to use them with my cards. Maybe you could help me out by being my next test subject in a duel?"

"I would but the field tests start in a few minutes. It'll have to wait," Zane insisted, walking away, "...If you're still in Obelisk Blue at the end of the day."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lynn demanded angrily, "For such a good looking guy, he's sure got an ugly personality. Come on, let's get going. I don't want to miss out on the field test." Heading back into the school, the four girls entered the gymnasium. Split into six separate fields, the girls could see students on the floor locked in duels while those waiting to duel or having already finished were watching from the seats above. For a while, the four girls found a good spot near the stairs to watch the duels. Eventually, an announcement came over the PA system.

"Will Lynn Hero please report to arena six? I repeat, Lynn Hero, please report to arena six for your field test," Chancellor Sheppard announced over the PA system.

"Guess it's my turn," Lynn sighed, moving towards the stairs, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck Lynn!" The three girls chimed. Going to the railing, they watched Lynn walk over to the selected arena where Ms. Fontaine waited.

"Hello Lynn. Are you ready?" Ms. Fontaine asked. Lynn nodded.

"I'm ready. Where's my opponent?" Lynn asked back. It was then Zane walked onto the floor.

"He's right here," Zane announced. Lynn grimaced at the sight of the Obelisk Blue student.

"I was hoping to duel you Zane!" Lynn challenged angrily, "I'll show you a thing or two."

"I'm not worried. You haven't evolved much, and you're going to lose," Zane promised.

"Enough talk!" Lynn frowned, activating her duel disk, "Let's let the cards be the deciding factor here."

"Agreed," Zane acknowledged, activating his duel disk.

"Time to duel!"

 **Lynn's LP: 4000**

 **Zane's LP: 4000**

"The first move is yours Lynn," Zane offered.

"You're too kind! I summon Defender the Magical Knight in attack mode (ATK: 1600)! When he's summoned in attack mode, he gains a spell counter. Lastly, I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn," Lynn concluded, her faithful knight appearing on the field.

"I play Graceful Charity. This spell lets me draw three cards as long as I discard two," Zane began, shuffling his cards around, "Then I'll summon Cyber Dragon (ATK: 2100)." A column of light appeared to Zane's right as a mechanical serpent rose out, its silver-plated hide reflecting light all around.

"Huh? That monster is level five! How did you summon it without releasing first?" Lynn demanded.

"I can special summon Cyber Dragon _because_ it's my first turn. Since you have monsters and I don't, he can be specially summoned with no problem. Additionally, since that was a special summon, I can normal Proto-Cyber Dragon to join it (ATK: 1100)," Zane explained as a rustier, less developed version of Cyber Dragon emerged on the field.

"Two Cyber Dragons? Not good!" Lynn winced.

"Not good is right because my Cyber Dragon is attacking your magical knight! Evolution burst!" Zane commanded, pointing at the dragon's target. Energy built up into the creature's mouth as Defender's shield began to glow.

"Not so fast handsome! My knight has a special ability! By removing his spell counter, I can negate his destruction!" Lynn countered. A blue barrier rose in response to defend Lynn and her monster as the metal dragon launched a barrage of blue flame. Though her knight was protected behind its shield, Lynn could feel the force from the dragon's blow.

 **Lynn's LP: 4000-3500**

"Your knight may survive, but your life points will be a different story especially since your knight won't be around for long. I activate the quick play spell card Prototype Development, releasing Cyber Dragon to summon one from the graveyard (ATK: 2100)," Zane announced as Cyber Dragon vanished but swiftly reappeared.

"Well that explains what went to the graveyard with Graceful Charity," Lynn realized.

"And since this is a new monster I summoned during the battle phase, I can attack with it. Cyber Dragon, evolution burst!" Zane ordered. The new dragon fired another burst of blue flame, this time consuming Lynn's monster.

 **Lynn's LP: 3500-3000**

 _Not good! Without Defender, my facedown card might as well be useless,_ Lynn realized.

"And the pain doesn't stop there! Proto-Cyber Dragon attacks directly. Proto-drive burst!" Zane snapped, his rusty dragon swiftly launching a yellow stream of flame. Lynn winced as the heat bathed her field and depleted her life points.

 **Lynn's LP: 3000-1900**

"I end my turn with a facedown," Zane concluded, a facedown card appearing between his two monsters, "Your deck isn't exactly impressing here Lynn. I hope your next turn is better than your first one."

"So do I… I draw!" Lynn announced, her duel spirit materializing on the field, "And I summon Magician's Valkyria (ATK: 1600) and I'll increase her strength with the equip spell Mage Power!" Magical energy flowed through Valkyria as the spell took hold.

"Mage Power increases the ATK and DEF of the equipped monster by 500 points for every spell and trap card on my field. I'll set one card facedown, enhancing Valkyria even further," Lynn continued, a new facedown emerging on her field.

Magician's Valkyria (ATK: 1600-3100)

"Now Magician's Valkyria! Attack Proto-Cyber Dragon with mystic scepter blast!" Lynn commanded. Green energy crackled along the surface of her monster's staff as she fired an enhanced magical blast at Zane's dragon. The magic overloaded the dragon quickly making it exploded with tremendous force, but to Lynn's surprise, Zane didn't even flinch.

 **Zane's LP: 4000-2000**

"Nice moves kid but I got something for that. I activate my facedown card, Return Ticket. When this card is activated, I can summon another Proto-Cyber Dragon from my deck (ATK: 1100)," Zane said as his mechanical serpent reappeared, ready to battle.

"I end my turn," Lynn grimaced, her gaze going to her facedowns, _my life points are low but I still have a chance. My new facedown card is Magician's Circle. When he attacks, I'll summon Nabooru and use her copying ability to set up a barricade, stopping Zane cold._ Zane drew his card and his gaze quickly went to Lynn's field before going back to his own.

"Two facedowns, one you didn't use earlier… A Magician's Valkyria on the field, strengthened by Mage Power… That'll be easy to take care of," Zane analyzed, holding up Polymerization, "Especially since I plan on fusing my dragon on the field with the one in my hand to summon the Cyber Twin Dragon." A swirling vortex appeared and Lynn watched as a second Cyber Dragon briefly appeared before being swallowed up alongside the first. An explosion of light erupted on Zane's field as a twin-headed Cyber Dragon appeared (ATK: 2800).

"Cyber Twin Dragon is still too weak to defeat my Valkyria," Lynn pointed out.

"I'm not done. I play the equip spell Gravity Blaster and equip it to Cyber Twin Dragon! This spell gives it 400 more attack points!" Zane continued as a powerful blaster system was equipped to his dragons' heads.

Cyber Twin Dragon (ATK: 2800-3200)

"You don't waste any time," Lynn winced, realizing she'd been outmaneuvered again.

"Cyber Twin Dragon attacks Valkyria," Zane continued, completely ignoring comment, "And I wouldn't bother summoning Nabooru. Gravity Blaster negates the effect of any monster Cyber Twin Dragon battles."

"It does? OK but I play my trap card Magician's Circle anyway! Since you were so kind to warn me in advance, I'll summon Lost Legend Impa (ATK: 2000)," Lynn announced, her shadow guardian emerging in time to watch Valkyria be vaporized by the blue flames of Cyber Twin Dragon.

 **Lynn's LP: 1900-1800**

"Impa huh? Well its special ability will do you little good especially since Cyber Twin Dragon's effect allows it to attack again," Zane added, the second head launching another flame blast. With Gravity Blaster negating her effect, Impa's fate mirrored Valkyria's and Lynn's life points suffered even further.

 **Lynn's LP: 1800-600**

"This isn't going well. Lynn's looking like an amateur out there," Mindy commented sadly.

"Considering she's going up against Duel Academy's top student with an unrefined deck, I'm not surprised," Alexis put in.

"Here goes. This is my last shot," Lynn said to herself, drawing a card, "I reveal my facedown card, Pitch-Black Power Stone. Normally, it gives me three spell counters I can use, but I'm going to send it to the graveyard to play the spell card Magic Planter. This permits me to draw two cards." Lynn's trap swiftly vanished as she drew two more cards. The contents of her hand had her grinning as her hope renewed.

"Next, _I'll_ play Polymerization, fusing together Four Sword Sapphire Hero with another Defender the Magical Knight!" Lynn announced, holding up the fusion spell. Her two warriors emerged briefly before a vortex swallowed them up and a new monster formed. Garbed in heavy blue armor, it carried a wand in one hand and a massive tower shield in its other (ATK: 1900).

"Behold my Vanguard Magician and I'll also enhance its strength with the equip spell Megamorph!" Lynn continued, throwing down her last card, "Since my life points are lower than yours, Megamorph doubles my monster's original attack points!"

Vanguard Magician (ATK: 1900-3800)

"Another pair of old cards," Zane commented, "you inherit those?" Lynn grimaced, signaling Zane that he was right again.

"It doesn't matter who this card belongs to. You're about to lose your dragon to it! Vanguard Magician attack! Destroy Cyber Twin Dragon!" Lynn commanded. Powerful energy gathered in her wizard's wand as it launched it at Zane's mechanical dragon. The crowd watched in awe as the magician's magic slew the dragon, sending smoke everywhere.

 **Zane's LP: 2000-1400**

"Alright! Lynn sent that dragon to the scrapyard!" Mindy cheered as her turn came to an end.

"You found a way to strike back but this duel isn't over yet," Zane said as he held up Pot of Greed, "I play Pot of Greed! It allows me to draw two cards. Then I'll play the Re-Fusion equip spell card!"

"Re-Fusion? Never heard of it," Lynn said, "What does it do?"

"What it does is allow me to pay 800 life points and special summon a fusion monster from my graveyard," Zane said as he slotted in his spell card. A column of light erupted on his field and from it Cyber Twin Dragon returned (ATK: 2800).

 **Zane's LP: 1400-600**

"Big deal. I've defeated it once already. I'm pretty sure I can again," Lynn said confidently.

"How are you going to do that when your magician isn't feeling like himself?" Zane asked, "Our life points are now equal, meaning your Megamorph equip spell no longer has any effect." Lynn glanced down at her life point counter and then her monster.

Vanguard Magician (ATK: 3800-1900)

"He's right! Megamorph's power up effect only works if Lynn's life points are lower than Zane's," Jasmine realized.

"My magician's strength may be gone but he still has his special ability! When under attack, he can switch to defense mode!" Lynn said as her monster hid behind his shield (DEF: 3000), "His defense points will prove to be more than enough to hold off your dragon."

"Under normal circumstances it would. However, these aren't normal circumstances. I activate the quick play spell card Limiter Removal! This will double the attack points of my Cyber Twin Dragon for this turn," Zane said. Lynn gasped in surprise as her opponent's dragon glowed with the force of the spell card.

Cyber Twin Dragon (ATK: 2800-5600)

"5600 attack points? My magician can't stop that!" Lynn gasped.

"It's a shame really. I didn't even need my best cards to defeat you. Cyber Twin Dragon! Double attack! Twin evolution burst!" Zane commanded, the two dragons lighting up with power. The first head launched an enormous blast that obliterated Vanguard Magician while the second mouth on the dragon powered up. Lynn shielded her face as the second dragon launched a second blast. The blow struck her with enough force to knock her off her feet as it drained her life points.

 **Lynn's LP: 600-0**

"No way! She lost," Jasmine gasped. The holograms faded as Ms. Fontaine helped Lynn to her feet. The defeated duelist looked at her opponent. Feelings of despair filled Lynn as Zane walked past her.

"Now do you see? You can't truly win with a deck and strategies that aren't yours," Zane stated, "If that's all you've got, you're not cut out to be a duelist." Lynn could feel tears forming in her eyes.

"It's alright Lynn. You did your best," Ms. Fontaine assured her. Disgusted with herself, Lynn broke away and ran out of the arena.

"Lynn wait!" Ms. Fontaine called but her shouts fell on deaf ears, "That poor girl…" With the final duel tests concluded, dusk settled on Academy Island. Students filed out of the main building and returned to the dorms. Lynn however was not one of them. Upset over her defeat, she had isolated herself from her friends. Seeking solace near the lighthouse on the island, she sat curled in a ball watching the waves come and go. Her presence didn't go unnoticed. Chancellor Sheppard was on his evening walk and saw her. Concerned, he walked up to her.

"Rough day on the duel floor?" The chancellor asked. Lynn looked up and saw the man as he took a seat next to her.

"I thought I was a good duelist… I believed in the cards my mom and I assembled but I lost," Lynn sobbed, pulling out her deck, "I… I was no match for Zane…"

"Lynn… Zane Truesdale is the strongest student on campus. As I understand it, you fought with a deck that someone else gave to you and you nearly won. That's impressive, considering how strong Zane is," Chancellor Sheppard explained.

"It isn't just a bunch of cards I was given. The Four Sword Hero cards, their fusions… they are my mom's," Lynn explained back, "I tried adding my own touch with the Lost Legends… But it wasn't enough. Zane said I could never beat him with a deck that isn't mine… And he was right."

"Perhaps he is… But let me tell you something most people don't know. Did you know the duel king Yugi Moto himself once fought with a deck that was given to him by someone else when he started out as a duelist?" Chancellor Sheppard asked. Lynn shook her head.

"Oh yes. It was the same deck he used to defeat Seto Kaiba in his very first duel," The chancellor explained, "Over time, he made changes to it and it became his own… And in time, he became the famous duelist duelists around the world have tried to emulate. You Lynn aren't that different from him. You've gotten by so far with a deck that you were given. Now it's time to enhance it and make it your own." Reaching into a pocket, he extracted from it a pack of cards and offered it to Lynn.

"What's this?" Lynn asked.

"I understand you helped someone today and was late to your test because of it. Well, she asked me to pass this on to you," The chancellor replied, "I told Ms. Dorothy I'd be glad to."

"Ms. Dorothy?" Lynn asked.

"The lady you helped today runs the Card Shack, the local store here on the island. When she heard you lost, the first thing she asked me when I spoke to her was 'How can I help?' I mentioned your defeat to her and she and I looked through her private collection of cards. Some of them ought to be of use to you," Chancellor Sheppard explained. Lynn looked at the cards and wiped her tears away.

"You may have lost today but this year has only just begun," The chancellor assured her.


	5. Shadow of a Duelist Part One

Evening had descended on Duel Academy as another busy day came to an end. Deep in the forest laid an old mansion long abandoned. At its gate was Alexis, a single rose in her hand. Placing it at the gate's entrance, she looked at it sadly.

 _Be at peace brother… Wherever you are._ Alexis prayed. Meanwhile, Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and Atsuko were in the cafeteria of the Slifer dorms with only a candle to light the room. They were storytelling with Duel Monsters cards, attempting to scare one another as best they could. At the moment, Atsuko was telling the story, a level four monster card in her hand.

"As I wandered the castle, I could've sworn I was being watched. Just when I thought the feeling would pass, a creaking noise from behind drew my attention. Turning to the source, I saw a door appear that I didn't notice the first time," Atsuko explained, "Curious, I open the door and find an empty room. No sooner than I step in to investigate does the door slam shut."

"Oh yeah? What next?" Jaden pressed.

"A low rumbling noise fills the room and two of the walls begin to close in on me. In a panic, I turn back to the door and find it's gone. I feel along the wall desperately looking for something I can do to escape but the walls keep moving closer and closer until…" Atsuko continued, her voice rising as she continued.

"Oh yeah? What happens?" Syrus asked frightfully.

"…I don't make it out," Atsuko concluded cheerfully, causing the boys to face fault out of their chairs. The girl rubbed the back of her neck nervously, chuckling at her abrupt ending.

"That's it? Aw come on!" Jaden whined.

"Oh man! Why did you have to say that? Now I'll never be able to sleep tonight," Syrus whined as Atsuko put the card down with the other used cards.

"Not a bad tale for a four-star monster," Jaden admitted as he reached for the pile of cards, "I hope I get a high level card." Drawing it, he picked up a level one card.

"Aw too bad. You don't have to scare us at all," Syrus sighed with relief.

"Even so, I might still have a story that'll do it… Well it's more like a memory. When I was a little kid, I used to hear these strange sounds late at night. It sounded like all my cards were having a party. I would get up and go into my playroom but all I would find were my cards in their case," Jaden said, "But you want to know the weird thing? Ever since we got here, I've been hearing them again." Syrus and Atsuko was riveted but Chumley, being the scaredy-cat he was, was standing in the shadows quivering.

"Wow," Syrus gasped as Jaden discarded the card he drew.

"Wow! I want to join in on the fright fest!" The group of four screamed in fear as Professor Banner and Pharaoh appeared from the patio door of the Slifer lunchroom.

"You just did sensei!" Atsuko stammered.

"Yeah, we're kind of on the edge of our seats here," Jaden wailed, as he tried to calm his beating heart.

"Why don't you draw a card? The tougher it is, the scarier your story has to be," Syrus explained as he straightened his glasses.

"That sounds simple enough," Banner replied as he drew a card from the deck. To Syrus' horror, it was a level twelve monster, the highest you could draw.

"Level twelve?! I think I'm going to bed now," Syrus grinned nervously.

"But don't you want to hear about the abandoned dorm at the end of the island?" Banner inquired laughingly.

"Abandoned dorm?" Jaden wondered.

"Yes, there was once a dorm for elite students deep in the forest. But the dorm was closed down because one night, several students went missing. Some say it was due to Shadow Games, evil games where one would use mystic items to call forth real monsters. The loser of a game would then give the winner their soul, or so they say," Banner explained. He then laughed startling the four teens.

"Sorry Professor, but I don't believe in Shadow Games," Jaden sighed, sounding bored.

"Yes, I thought you might say that, but you know, every story has to come from somewhere." Banner continued to laugh as he turned to the door, "Well, I believe that'll do for tonight. I'll bid you all goodnight."

"Good night Professor," The four students echoed.

"You know, I did see this old building one day when I was walking in the forest," Syrus chirped as Chumley got the nerve to come back to his seat, "Maybe that was the abandoned dorm?"

"Really? That's sweet! Then this weekend, you're gonna lead us there!" Jaden declared. The four Slifers bantered a little while, regarding the dorm, not realizing Dr. Crowler was listening in.

 _Hm, maybe it's time the Shadow Games made a comeback… Millennium items and all…_ Crowler thought as a plan to get rid of Jaden began to brew in his mind. Reaching for his cell phone, he began to dial out.

 **Chapter Five: Shadow of a Duelist Part One**

The sun rose on a new day a Duel Academy. Classes were in full swing in Professor Banner's classroom. The professor was in the midst of explaining some chemical formulas and Lynn was focused on taking notes when a snoring noise got her attention. Turning to the source, she noticed it wasn't coming from Jaden but from Alexis. The girl was half asleep at her desk.

"Hey, you OK?" Lynn whispered, nudging the girl. Alexis snapped awake and nodded wearily.

"Sorry. I just didn't get much sleep last night," Alexis admitted quietly. Now awake, the girl turned her focus to class but Lynn's was now on her friend. In the brief time she had known her, Alexis did her best to come to class looking as good as possible. Rings of darkness were around Alexis's eyes, a clear indication of a lack of sleep and her hair was slightly ruffled.

 _But lately, she's been coming to class like a ghost who can't sleep._ Lynn noticed, _what could be going on that's got her so tired?_ Class was soon over and the students dispersed to go to lunch. Lynn quickly packed her bag and turned to Alexis.

"Hey, you ready for lunch?" Lynn asked. To her surprise, Alexis didn't respond at all. The girl had fallen asleep at her desk. Valkyria appeared behind Lynn, arms crossed with a look of disgust on her face.

"Oh brother. She sleeps almost as much as that idiot Jaden," Valkyria frowned.

"This is not like her," Lynn agreed, shaking the girl's shoulders, "Hey Lex, class is over. Wake up." The girl snapped awake, startled. The girl yawned tiredly as she began putting her stuff away.

"Oh? Got it. Sorry," Alexis yawned, swinging her bag over her shoulder, "Did I miss much?"

"Honestly, not really but you're lucky. If Professor Banner wasn't so busy dealing with Jaden, he would've noticed you were out," Lynn warned as the two girls walked out of class, "Speaking of out, what have you been doing that's got you so worn out in the first place?" Alexis frowned.

"It's nothing. I've just been busy with classes is all," Alexis assured her half-heatedly, before yawning again.

"If you're tired, maybe you should take a nap before you do anything else?" Lynn pressed.

"Gee thanks Mom. I'll do that," Alexis replied sarcastically before walking off in a huff. Lynn deflated at the sight of her friend walking away.

"Was it something I said?" Lynn wondered as she approached the lunchroom. Grabbing a tray and lunch, Lynn looked for a place to sit only to see Mindy and Jasmine in a corner booth.

"Hey Lynn! Over here!" Jasmine called, waving to the girl.

"Hey Jasmine, what's up with Alexis?" Lynn asked as she took a seat, "She's been acting really strange."

"You noticed too? She has been tired a lot lately. It's not like her," Mindy agreed.

"Well I don't know if it's related or not, but every night, she leaves the dorms and she comes back real late all sweaty and tired," Jasmine explained, "I don't know where she goes, but I overheard her one night when she was in her room. She had been 'frustrated with not finding any clues' and then she mentions the abandoned dorm."

"Abandoned dorm? The one in the forest?" Lynn asked.

"That's the only abandoned dorm I know of," Jasmine said, "Maybe she's looking for something there?"

"That's not a good thing. The school made that place forbidden. Going there is grounds for getting expelled," Mindy frowned, "Maybe one of us should stop her?" Lynn nodded thoughtfully as she began to eat. These girls were the first friends she had made on the island. It wouldn't do to lose them so quickly.

Later that evening on the docks near the lighthouse, Dr. Crowler awaited a new arrival. A low mist hung over the area as a single figure stepped out of the fog lugging a briefcase. Garbed in a black hat, trench coat and heavy boots, his eyes were concealed by an iron mask. Over his coat, he wore a dueling rig and duel disk, currently retracted into a metal gauntlet. Around his neck was a gold triangular pendant with an eye symbol on it.

"Ah, glad to see you've made it," Dr. Crowler greeted, holding out his hand, "So you're the one they call the Shadow Duelist?" The man didn't take it and his scowl deepened.

"My opponents call me many things but it's hard to tell with all the screaming they do," The man greeted, "So what's the job?"

"I want you to scare someone so bad that they'll leave this island and never come back. Are you up for the challenge?" Dr. Crowler asked.

"There is no challenge beyond my skills… Just be sure you're ready to pay when I'm done. Now who's my mark?" The man asked back. Dr. Crowler pulled out his Duel Pilot and brought up a picture of Jaden.

"This boy… I overheard he's planning to investigate the abandoned dorm deep in the forest this weekend with his friends. It'll be a good place for you to work," Dr. Crowler explained, holding up the photo.

"Friends… You do realize that there'll be collateral damage right?" The man warned.

"I don't care about his friends. I want this disrespectful boy out of my sight and out of my hair!" Dr. Crowler hissed. The fog intensified as the man backed away. Within moments, the man vanished.

The rest of the week flew by fast and soon enough the weekend had arrived. Lynn found herself that Saturday evening sitting on her balcony, reading a book. Or at least she would've been if one eye wasn't trained on the pathway leading away from the dorms. As ten o'clock rolled around, Lynn was about to give up when a single blonde figure left the dorms and began walking out into the darkness. Lynn quickly noticed and bookmarked her spot.

"Found you," Lynn said to herself. Grabbing her duel disk from next to her, Lynn ran out of her room and out of the dorm. Once clear of the building, she stealthily followed the girl deep into the woods. Moving from one shadow to the next, Lynn followed her unnoticed to a building that was a shadow of its former self. The paint had peeled off and nearly every window was cracked or broken. The double door entrance was missing one door and the other was hanging on by a broken hinge. An iron fence surrounded the complex. Lynn watched as Alexis pulled a rose out of her blazer and place it in front of the gate.

"Brother, give me a sign… Tell me where you are," Alexis prayed, "Just give me a sign you're alive… Or that you're gone."

"Hey! Are you OK?" Lynn called. Alexis gasped in shock and turned to see Lynn standing there.

"Lynn! You scared me!" Alexis sighed with relief, "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you. The girls and I have been worried about you lately so I decided to see what you were up to," Lynn explained, taking in the sight of the old dorm, "What's so interesting about this place that...?" But Lynn's question was interrupted by the sound of distant voices.

"Uh oh! Someone's coming! We have to hide!" Alexis said urgently, pulling Lynn back towards the bushes. The two dove in just time as Jaden, Syrus, Atsuko, and Chumley appeared in the distance. The two Obelisk Blue students ducked low as their friends found the dorm and began studying the outside thoroughly.

"Whoa, check this out," Jaden said, shining his flashlight on the ground. A red rose lay at the base of the gate. Syrus and Chumley sweat dropped.

"A rose? Some kind of memorial or tribute?" Atsuko wondered, "To a loved one passed away?"

"Passed away? Oh man, this place gives me the chills," Syrus said, fright in his voice.

"Relax guys, there's nobody here but us," Jaden declared. It was then a branch cracked. Lynn and Alexis looked down and saw Lynn had stepped on a loose branch.

"Then what's that?" Syrus and Chumley screamed, hugging each other in fear. Atsuko took a kung fu stance as Jaden pointed his light in the direction of the noise to see Alexis and Lynn.

"Oh, hey Alexis, Lynn," Jaden said calmly as his two male companions fell over in relief.

"What are you guys doing here?" Alexis asked.

"We heard about the abandoned dorm and decided to check it out," Jaden explained.

"Well that's not a very smart thing to do. Don't you know kids have a way of disappearing here?" Alexis inquired.

"Oh come on! That's just some urban myth," Jaden replied.

"No it isn't and believe me I know. Why else would the academy make this place completely forbidden?" Alexis reasoned.

"Maybe because it's just really old like Crowler-Sensei?" Atsuko snickered. The Slifers shared a good chuckle.

"This isn't funny!" Alexis snapped angrily.

"Whoa Lex. Take it easy. No need to snap," Jaden said. Alexis took a deep breath, calming down.

"I'm sorry. You have to understand that one of the students who went missing was my brother," Alexis explained sadly, "I came here to find out what happened to him." Jaden looked down at the rose with realization.

 _Oh, so that explains the rose. Lex put it there._ Jaden realized.

"So any leads?" Jaden asked. Alexis shook her head.

"No. Ever since I've arrived, I can't find anything of interest," Alexis replied.

"Have you looked inside the dorm?" Chumley asked.

"I… I haven't gone in yet. I'm afraid of what I'll find," Alexis admitted, gazing longingly at the dorm's open doors, "I tried researching at the library first but there's nothing… Then I came here and I hope that something comes to light."

"Well hope only goes so far. There may be a clue inside," Atsuko said, "And we'll only be expelled if we get caught. If we're careful, we shouldn't have any problems." With that, the Slifer girl moved towards the gate and pushed it open, the others right behind save for Syrus.

"I don't know about this you guys but I think we should turn back," Syrus suggested.

"Go ahead if you want Sy, just don't disappear on us," Jaden called back jokingly. Syrus's gaze moved back to the dorm and the forest. Shivering with fear, images of him disappearing by an unknown force filled him with fear.

"Oh wait up!" Syrus shouted frightfully, running to the others. Now all together, the group slipped through the doors and were greeted by a dismal sight. The entryway was in full disarray. Remains of a shoe rack and trophy case greeted them and the walls were lined with pictures of hieroglyphs and objects with a mysterious eye symbol.

"Wow, check this place out," Lynn said.

"What a dump," Chumley remarked, "These guys must've been total slobs."

"I think this is all due to lack of maintenance, Chumley-kun," Atsuko said, her flashlight moving over the old furniture. Jaden's light however was focused on the hieroglyph images.

"Hey check this out. These look like the Millennium items," Jaden noticed, "Puzzle… Rod… Key… Scales… Necklace… Eye… Ring… They're all here."

"You didn't even know the answers to Dr. Stratton's pop quiz last week. How do you know about the Millennium items?" Lynn asked.

"Yugi's my idol. I know everything about him," Jaden grinned.

"That and he read my copy of _Tales of Battle City_ ," Syrus chimed.

"Yugi's biography? Figures," Lynn said, "Come on, let's split up and search the rest of the place." Alexis departed upstairs while the boys branched into a side room. Lynn took another side door into a common room with a fireplace. Sitting atop the fireplace was a lit candle and a picture of a young man in an Obelisk Blue blazer. He had brown hair and piercing brown eyes. Lynn walked over and picked the picture off of the wall.

"Hm… This guy's pretty easy on the eyes," Lynn commented as she pulled the picture out of the frame and stuffed it in her pocket. It was then a shrill scream filled the air. Running back to the entryway, Lynn met with the boys and Atsuko.

"Hey is everything OK?" Lynn asked, "Was that you screaming?"

"Nope, not us," Chumley said. Another screamed ripped through the air.

"That was Alexis!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Come on! We gotta find her!" Chumley reminded the girl. Lynn nodded as they went back down the hall and into an even larger common room. The furniture was still intact, but covered by dust-covered sheets. On the walls were mysterious images, each one bearing the symbol of an eye. One thing in the room however got the attention of the students in the room: A lone Duel Monsters card next to a lit flashlight. Jaden picked up the card but Lynn quickly identified it.

"Etoile Cyber… That's one of Alexis' cards," Lynn noted.

"Then there's only one place she could be," Chumley replied, his light setting itself on a lone staircase leading downward.

"Down there?" Syrus asked nervously. An ear-piercing shriek was his answer.

"Hurry!" Atsuko urged as she and the group ran down the stairs. What lay below them was a large cavern and in a coffin nearby was Alexis, her hands and feet tied. To the horror of her friends, she was unconscious.

"Alexis!" Jaden shouted as he and the others ran towards her.

"The poor girl… The Shadow Realm has her now…" Came a chilling voice.

"Who's there?" Syrus demanded, some fear still in his voice. Laughter rang out through the room as the man in a black trench coat, hat and wearing a white mask emerged from the shadows. On his body was a weird looking duel disk, its platform resembling that of bat wings.

"Who are you?" Lynn demanded.

"I'm known as many things, but it gets hard to tell people over their cries of agony," the man laughed, "This foolish girl came looking for trouble and found it."

"You creep! Let Alexis go right now or you'll be sorry!" Jaden threatened.

"Sorry? You're the ones who will be sorry… After I seal your souls in the Shadow Realm!" Titan threatened, "The only way to save the girl is to defeat me in a duel." Syrus and Chumley screamed in fear. Atsuko stood protectively in front of them as Jaden and Lynn charged to the center of the room, duel disks at the ready.

"A duel huh? Well if that's what it takes to save my best friend, you're on," Lynn countered, turning to the Slifer student, "Up for a tag duel Jaden?"

"Ha! I'm always ready! Let's throw down!" Jaden urged as he and Lynn slotted their decks into their duel disks.

"Duel!"

 **Lynn's LP: 4000**

 **Jaden's LP: 4000**

 **Titan's LP: 8000**

"So creepy… You got a name?" Jaden asked.

"If it makes you feel any better, you can call me Titan," The shadow duelist introduced, "Not that you'll live long enough for it to matter." Each player drew their opening hand and Lynn was immediately surprised.

 _It's one of Ms. Dorothy's cards. Let's give it a go._ Lynn thought as a new monster joined her side, "Let the magic begin! I summon Crusader of Endymion." Garbed in bulky blue armor and robes, it stood proud in the darkness (ATK: 1900).

"Then I'll throw two cards facedown and end my turn," Lynn concluded, two cards appearing behind her monster.

"Alright, now it's my turn and I summon Elemental Hero Clayman and I'll call it a turn," Jaden said, his blocky hero appearing in a defensive stance (DEF: 2000).

"Hm… One tries to be brave and attack, one hides behind defense… It makes little difference. I play the spell card Double Summon! With this, I can summon twice in one turn so I'll summon Infernalqueen Archfiend and Terrorking Archfiend in attack mode!" Titan began, summoning two monsters to his side. Both skeletal in form, both wore royal clothing, one in shades of red and purple (ATK: 900), the other in robes of red and carried a blue sword of bone and steel (ATK: 2000).

"Archfiends huh? That's a pretty risky set of monsters to use don't you think?" Lynn asked.

"Risky? What do you mean?" Syrus asked.

"They're powerful Sy, but they come at a price. During each standby phase, our friend in black has to pay life points to keep those archfiends on the field," Jaden explained. Titan however merely smiled.

"No I don't, or at least I don't with this: The field spell card, Pandemonium!" Titan declared, slotting in his field spell. The entire cavern changed. Gargoyle statues appeared in all corners of the room as a lava pit formed in the center. The stone floor and walls became bathed in red light. It was then the coffin Alexis was in slammed shut and was pulled into the ground.

"Alexis!" Jaden and Lynn cried out.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about her right now. I'd be more concerned about my field spell's effect. As long as I have this field spell in play, I don't have to pay life points to keep my archfiends. Even better, if they're destroyed by something other than battle, I can add another Archfiend to my hand," Titan explained.

"Oh yeah, well playing your Double Summon spell card triggers my trap card, Spell Repository. Now whenever anyone plays a spell card, this continuous trap will gain a spell counter!" Lynn announced as a safe decorated with arcane symbols appeared at her side, "And with two spells played, my trap gets two counters."

Spell Repository Counters – 0-2

"Perhaps but thanks to the special ability of my Infernalqueen, all Archfields on the field gain 1000 attack points!" Titan continued, his monsters glowing with crimson energy.

Infernalqueen Archfiend (ATK: 900-1900)

Terrorking Archfiend (ATK: 2000-3000)

"I'll finish with one facedown and end my turn," Titan concluded, a single card appearing between his two monsters, "Prepare to face fear unlike any which you have faced before."

"I don't think so!" Lynn said, drawing a card, "I gemini summon Crusader of Endymion!" Energy coursed through Lynn's monster as hidden power welled up within it.

"Gemini summon? What's that?" Chumley asked.

"My monster is special. It has hidden power that can only be released by summoning it twice. Now I'll use its new power to place a spell counter on Spell Repository!" Lynn explained. Her monster held out and its hand and formed a spell counter which it deposited in the safe.

Spell Repository Counters - 2-3

"And that's not all! By creating a spell counter, Crusader's attack power increases by 600 until the end phase!" Lynn added, her magician growing in strength.

Crusader of Endymion (ATK: 1900-2500)

"Yosh! Now it can take on the archfiends!" Atsuko cheered.

"But why stop there! I reveal my other facedown card Pitch-Black Power Stone! When activated, it generates three spell counters which can be moved to any other card I choose. I can only use one per turn but by doing so, my Spell Repository now has four," Lynn continued as her vault gained another counter.

Pitch-Black Power Stone Counters - 3-2

Spell Repository Counters - 3-4

"And now that my repository has four counters, I can use its special ability. By removing four counters, I can draw one card from my deck," Lynn announced as her vault emptied and she drew a card. Titan however smirked at this.

"A decent move but it triggers my trap card Appropriate!" Titan announced, his facedown card opening.

"Uh oh! What's that do?" Syrus asked.

"It lets me draw two cards whenever either of you draws a card outside your draw phase. So thank you for helping me accelerate your destruction," Titan laughed, drawing two cards.

Spell Repository Counters – 4-0

"Oh yeah? Let's see if you're still laughing after this move! I play Polymerization, fusing the Magician's Valkyria and Four Sword Emerald Hero in my hand into my Valkyria Edgemaster!" Lynn announced holding up three cards from her hand. Her two monsters appeared and flew into a vortex. Valkyria reappeared, her hat gone and her hair braided with pink ribbons. Her cane had also been replaced with an emerald-bladed sword (ATK: 2000).

Spell Repository Counters – 0-1

"I grow weary of your constant stream of effects. Are you done yet?" Titan asked impatiently.

"Uh no, I'm not. I have my edgemaster's special ability to use. She gains 100 attack points for every warrior and spellcaster in my graveyard. There may only be two at the moment, but it's enough to take out both of your monsters," Lynn pointed out as her two monsters rushed into battle.

Valkyria Edgemaster (ATK: 2000-2200)

"Edgemaster, destroy Infernalqueen Archfiend! Arcane saber strike!" Lynn ordered. Magic sigils glowed on Valkyria's sword as she cut down the female demon. Without the queen present, the Terrorking's strength weakened.

Terrorking Archfiend (ATK: 3000-2000)

"And now with no queen to enhance your king, Crusader of Endymion attack!" Lynn continued. Her blue clad mage fired a stream of lightning that promptly consumed the opponent's last monster as its owner's life points suffered.

 **Titan's LP: 8000-7200**

"Do not presume to think you've won yet. By discarding Desrook Archfiend from my hand, I can resurrect my Terrorking," Titan cautioned as his monster returned (ATK: 2000).

"Fine I end my turn and since the end phase has come, Crusader's attack points drop back to 1900," Lynn concluded, "It's your move Jaden."

"Alright, here goes something… And what a something it is! I play Polymerization and I'll fuse the Clayman on the field with the Sparkman in my hand in order to fusion summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!" Jaden said as Clayman disappeared into a vortex alongside Sparkman and from it Jaden's fusion monster appeared (ATK: 2400).

Spell Repository Counters – 1-2

"And now I'll activate Thunder Giant's super power. When he's summoned, I can destroy one monster on my opponent's field whose original attack points are less than his own. Thunder Giant, why don't you show him how it works?" Jaden declared. Holding out one of its massive hands, Jaden's hero fired a barrage of lightning towards Titan's monster when it suddenly stopped in midair.

"I activate Terrorking's special ability. When it's targeted by an effect, I can spin a roulette," Titan explained as balls numbered one through six appeared on his field. One of the spheres lit on fire and the flame began jumping from one sphere to the next.

"If that roulette stops on a two or a five, my monster is safe and yours is destroyed. If not, my monster will be destroyed," Titan continued before the flame stopped on five, "Too bad for you. Looks like your giant isn't so big anymore." With the roulette favoring Titan, Thunder Giant's lightning recoiled and forced Jaden's monster to self-destruct.

"Oh no! That move leaves Jaden defenseless," Chumley noticed.

"Not unless I do this! I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in defense mode and end my turn," Jaden concluded as the sole lady of the Elemental Heroes appeared on his field (DEF: 800), "Let's see what you got."

"Gladly," Titan said, as a new slimmer archfiend with a sword joined his side (ATK: 1200) "I summon Vilepawn Archfiend and then I'll use Monster Reborn to revive Infernalqueen Archfiend." Between the two monsters, the queen of the fiends reappeared.

"And I get another spell counter," Lynn chirped.

Spell Repository Counters - 2-3

"Yes but my Infernalqueen can now raise the attack points of all my Archfiends by 1000 points," Titan countered as all three monsters glowed with the same red aura.

Infernalqueen Archfiend (ATK: 900-1900)

Terrorking Archfiend (ATK: 2000-3000)

Vilepawn Archfiend (ATK: 1200-2200)

"Uh oh! Three powered up Archfiends are not good," Syrus gasped worryingly.

 _Now who to attack? My mission is to scare the boy, His monsters are no match for mine, but it I take the girl our first…_ Titan rationalized, his gaze settled on Lynn's two monsters, "Prepare to be terrorized by the darkness! Terrorking, destroy Valkyria Edgemaster! Locust storm barrage!" The fiend's chest opened and a swarm of locusts swiftly consumed Lynn's monster.

"Now Vilepawn Archfiend destroy Crusader of Endymion," Titan continued. His monster drew its sword and swiftly cut down Lynn's monster.

"And now that you're defenseless, Internalqueen will attack you directly! Infernal flame blast!" Titan concluded. The queen of the fiends launched a powerful blast that knocked Lynn off her feet as her life points suffered the damage from all three attacks.

 **Lynn's LP: 4000-1000**

"Ugh… That hurt," Lynn groaned as she picked herself up.

"Oh really? Well the physical pain you're enduring now is nothing compared to what will happen to you now!" Titan insisted, whipping out his Millennium item. Gold light shot out from the eye on its surface, blinding all the students. The light didn't last long and it swiftly faded.

"What's happening?" Lynn demanded, "What was that light just now?"

"Lynn! Your body! Look!" Atsuko gasped. Looking down at herself, Lynn screamed in fright. Everything below her breasts had faded away.

"My body! Where'd it go?" Lynn asked worryingly. Titan smiled evilly.

"It's being consumed by the shadows, that's what. As your life points fade away, so will your bodies until there's nothing left," Titan explained gravely as his turn ended, "Can you feel the cold grip of the shadows on your body? Now do you see the peril you find yourselves in?" Lynn grimaced as she drew a card.

"The shadows haven't claimed me yet. I play the spell card Monster Reincarnation! Now by discarding one card from my hand, I can get a monster back from my graveyard. So I'll discard this and return Magician's Valkyria to my hand," Lynn said, returning her monster to her hand, "And because I used a spell card, Spell Repository gains another spell counter. Then I'll move one more counter from Pitch-Black Power Stone to Spell Repository." Lynn's two traps glowed as counters were added to her safe.

Spell Repository Counters – 3-5

Pitch-Black Power Stone Counters – 2-1

"Next I'll remove four counters from Spell Repository and draw a card," Lynn continued as her counters dropped and her hand increased.

Spell Repository Counters – 5-1

"Why thank you. When you draw cards outside your draw phase, I get to draw two cards due to Appropriate's effect," Titan reminded her as he increased his own hand.

"I know that. Now I'll place two cards facedown. Finally, I'll summon Magician's Valkyria in defense mode and end my turn," Lynn concluded as her duel spirit reappeared (DEF: 1800), _I didn't want to give this maniac any cards but I had no choice. Good news is that I have two facedown cards that should stop him in his tracks._

"Alright! Now it's my turn and I play the spell card Fusion Recovery! With this, I can add Polymerization and Clayman from my graveyard and back to my hand. Next I'll play Polymerization and fuse the Clayman I just go back with the Burstinatrix on my field and fusion summon Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster in defense mode!" Jaden said as his blocky hero returned to the field. Both of his monsters were promptly swallowed up into a vortex and from it emerged Burstinatrix now wearing thick armor and carrying a massive shield. Her arm was encased in an arm cannon aimed at Titan (ATK: 2000 DEF: 2500).

"And because I played two spell cards, Spell Repository gains two spell counters, but more importantly than that, I have Rampart Blaster's effect. You see when she's in defense mode, I can attack you directly!" Jaden announced as his hero fired a barrage of missiles directly at Titan, "Of course the damage will be halved but hey it's a special effect, what can you do?" As the damage was inflicted, parts of Titan's leg vanished into the darkness.

Spell Repository Counters – 1-3

 **Titan's LP: 7200-6200**

"And with that, I'll call it a turn," Jaden concluded, "So how does it feel to be dragged into the shadows yourself big guy?" Titan merely smiled.

"The shadows and I are one. I have no reason to fear them," Titan said as a skeleton fiend wrapped in purple robes and carrying a skull staff emerged on his field, "But you'll soon be one with them yourselves! I summon Darkbishop Archfiend (ATK: 300) and then I'll sacrifice him to activate the Checkmate spell card!" His new monster promptly disappeared and the Terrorking Archfiend glowed with new power.

Spell Repository Counters – 3-4

"Checkmate? Uh oh, this could be trouble," Chumley said nervously.

"Yeah but what does it do?" Syrus wondered.

"Checkmate is a useful spell card for ending duels… It allows my Terrorking to attack you directly!" Titan announced gravely as his monster drew in a deep breath.

Spell Repository Counters – 4-5

"Attack directly? Oh no!" Atsuko gasped.

"But who to attack? I could strike you boy but that wouldn't wipe out your life points… So I'll target you girl!" Titan declared, "Terrorking! Attack directly! Locust storm barrage!" Exhaling violently, the shadow duelist's monster launched a barrage of locusts at Lynn once more.

 _This is bad. We came here to save Alexis and now Lynn and Jaden might not be able to save themselves!_ Chumley frowned as the bugs neared Lynn.


	6. Shadow of a Duelist Part Two

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX:_

" _Sorry. I just didn't get much sleep last night," Alexis admitted quietly. Now awake, the girl turned her focus to class but Lynn's was now on her friend. In the brief time she had known her, Alexis did her best to come to class looking as good as possible. Rings of darkness were around Alexis's eyes, a clear indication of a lack of sleep and her hair was slightly ruffled._

 _But lately, she's been coming to class like a ghost who can't sleep. Lynn noticed, what could be going on that's got her so tired?_

" _I want you to scare someone so bad that they'll leave this island and never come back. Are you up for the challenge?" Dr. Crowler asked._

" _There is no challenge beyond my skills… Just be sure you're ready to pay when I'm done. Now who's my mark?" The man asked back. Dr. Crowler pulled out his Duel Pilot and brought up a picture of Jaden._

" _This boy… I overheard he's planning to investigate the abandoned dorm deep in the forest tomorrow night with his friends. It'll be a good place for you to work," Dr. Crowler explained, holding up the photo._

" _Friends… You do realize that there'll be collateral damage right?" The man warned._

" _I don't care about his friends. I want this disrespectful boy out of my sight and out of my hair!" Dr. Crowler hissed. The fog intensified as the man backed away. Within moments, the man vanished._

 _"Who are you?" Lynn demanded._

 _"I'm known as many things, but it gets hard to tell people over their cries of agony," the man laughed, "This foolish girl came looking for trouble and found it."_

 _"That's enough! Let Alexis go right now or you'll be sorry!" Jaden threatened._

 _"Sorry? You're the ones who will be sorry… After I seal your souls in the Shadow Realm!" Syrus and Chumley screamed in fear as Jaden and Lynn charged to the center of the room._

 _"Not if we defeat you in a duel first! And if we win, you'll let Alexis go free!" Lynn countered, turning to the Slifer student, "That is if you're up to it Jaden."_

 _"Ha! I'm always ready! Let's throw down!" Jaden urged as he and Lynn slotted their decks into their duel disks._

" _Oh really? Well the physical pain you're enduring now is nothing compared to what will happen to you now!" Titan insisted, whipping out his Millennium item. Gold light shot out from the eye on its surface, blinding all the students. The light didn't last long and it swiftly faded._

" _What's happening?" Lynn demanded, "What was that light just now?"_

" _Lynn! Your body! Look!" Atsuko gasped. Looking down at herself, Lynn screamed in fright. Everything below her waist had faded away along with part of her right arm._

" _My body! Where'd it go?" Lynn asked worryingly. Titan smiled evilly._

" _It's being consumed by the shadows, that's what. As your life points fade away, so will your bodies until there's nothing left," Titan explained gravely as his turn ended, "Can you feel the cold grip of the shadows on your body? Now do you see the peril you find yourselves in?"_

" _The shadows and I are one. I have no reason to fear them," Titan said as a skeleton fiend wrapped in purple robes and carrying a skull staff emerged on his field, "But you'll soon be one with them yourselves! I summon Darkbishop Archfiend (ATK: 300) and then I'll sacrifice him to activate the Checkmate spell card!" His new monster promptly disappeared and the Terrorking Archfiend glowed with new power._

 _Spell Repository Counters – 3-4_

" _Checkmate? Uh oh, this could be trouble," Chumley said nervously._

" _Yeah but what does it do?" Syrus wondered._

" _Checkmate is a useful spell card for ending duels… It allows my Terrorking to attack you directly!" Titan announced gravely as his monster drew in a deep breath._

" _Attack directly? Oh no!" Atsuko gasped._

" _But who to attack? I could strike you boy but that wouldn't wipe out your life points… So I'll target you girl!" Titan declared, "Terrorking! Attack directly! Locust storm barrage!" Exhaling violently, the shadow duelist's monster launched a barrage of locusts at Lynn once more._

 _This is bad. We came here to save Alexis and now Lynn and Jaden might not be able to save themselves! Chumley frowned as the bugs neared Lynn._

 **Chapter Six: Shadow of a Duelist Part Two**

"Prepare for your doom!" Titan taunted.

"I don't think so! I reveal my facedown card, Magic Cylinder!" Lynn countered as two red cylinders appeared and the bugs were drawn into them like a vacuum.

"Yosh! That trap will redirect that attack back to that creep!" Atsuko cheered.

"Perhaps… but only if my roulette doesn't stop it!" Titan warned as another roulette began. The ball of flame bounced from sphere and the tension quickly rose.

"Oh man it can't land on a two or five again!" Syrus frowned.

"If it does, Lynn's gonzo!" Chumley winced. Then, to the group's relief, the roulette stopped on one.

"What?! I missed?" Titan cried out in surprise. The second cylinder began to glow with light as a beam of emerald light fired out and struck the shadow duelist.

 **Titan's LP: 6200-3200**

"Alright! Lynn's still alive!" Atsuko sighed with relief as Titan's legs vanished into the darkness.

"Only for the moment! Infernalqueen, attack Magician's Valkyria!" Titan ordered.

"I reveal my trap card, Magician's Circle!" Lynn replied, pulling out her deck to search, "This trap allows us to both summon a spellcaster from our decks with 2000 attack points or less when one of my spellcasters comes under attack and I choose my Lost Legend Nabooru!" A beam of orange light shot out of Lynn's field and her desert sage appeared (ATK: 900). The two spellcasters came together and a lattice of light engulfed Lynn's field, blocking the attack.

"What? Why didn't my attack work?" Titan demanded angrily.

"My spirit sage has the power to duplicate the effect of any warrior or spellcaster on the field. She's copied the effect of my Valkyria who can draw my enemy's attacks," Lynn explained, "And together, they create this barrier that prevents you from attacking me anymore!"

"An attack lockdown…" Titan grimaced as he ended his turn, "A desperate defense isn't going to protect you for long especially from the shadows that hunger for the rest of your body!"

"Your shadows will have to starve," Lynn said, as she drew a card, "I move the final spell counter from Pitch-Black Power Stone to Spell Repository. Then I'll play Spell Power Grasp. This spell card adds another Spell Power Grasp to hand and places another spell counter on my Spell Repository for a total of eight." Lynn's power stone trap faded away as more spell counters placed themselves in her safe.

Spell Repository Counters – 5-8

"Next I'll remove four counters from Spell Repository to draw one card," Lynn continued, adding a card to her hand.

Spell Repository Counters – 8-4

"Fool! Appropriate is still in play so I draw two cards!" Titan reminded her, increasing his own hand.

"Better enjoy those cards then because those are the last you're getting from me! Rise Breaker the Magical Warrior!" Lynn countered as a red armored knight carrying a diamond-shared shield and emerald sword appeared on her field (ATK: 1900), "Next I'll use Breaker's effect to remove his spell counter and destroy Appropriate!" The knight's sword glowed with power as it leapt forward and cleaved Titan's trap card in two.

"Without his spell counter, his attack points decrease, but now you can't get any more cards from us," Lynn said as her turn ended.

Breaker the Magical Warrior (ATK: 1900 – 1600)

"Good to know," Jaden agreed as he drew a card, "Sweetness! I play the spell card Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two cards. Then I'll play The Warrior Returning Alive. This lets me return a warrior type monster from my graveyard back to my hand and I choose Sparkman and summon him back to my field (ATK: 1600)!" The electrical hero quickly reemerged ready to fight. Jaden then looked at one of the cards he drew and grimaced.

 _OK this move's going to take a little luck but if I pull this off, I have a good chance of winning and getting Alexis back._ Jaden planned as he slotted the card in, "Next I'll play the equip spell Spark Blaster and equip it to Sparkman!" A gun device appeared in the warrior's right hand and cables from it attached to its wrist.

"Lishus! With Spark Blaster, Jaden can change the battle modes of monsters on the field," Chumley cheered.

"Yeah if that roulette doesn't stop it first," Atsuko warned.

"Ha! That card won't do you much good. If you hope to change your friend's fate, you'll need to take out my Vilepawn Archfiend first and with its attack power at 2200, that is not likely to happen," Titan taunted.

"Yeah I know that but your monster's defense power is a different story! Sparkman, use Spark Blaster's effect on Vilepawn Archfiend!" Jaden ordered. His hero aimed his weapon at the monster and fired but just like before, it froze in midair as a fireball began spinning from one sphere to another.

"In order for your blaster to work, you'll need to hit a number other than three," Titan reminded him as the roulette began to spin. To his dismay, it stopped on six. Sparkman's blaster lit up with lightning as it forced the weakest of the Archfiends to take knee (DEF: 200).

"And we're not stopping there. Sparkman, use Spark Blaster on the Infernalqueen!" Jaden continued as the roulette began to spin again. The flame bounced around before settling on a four.

"What? You won again?" Titan hissed angrily. Another surge of lightning forced the Infernalqueen to kneel as well (DEF: 1500).

"Alright! Time to see if the third time's the charm! Sparkman, use Spark Blaster one more time! Target the Terrorking!" Jaden ordered. The roulette spun one last time but this time it settled on a two and the Spark Blaster was promptly destroyed.

"Oh well. Two out of three ain't bad," Jaden commented as his Rampart Blaster stood up (ATK: 2000), "Rampart Blaster, attack Vilepawn Archfiend with rampart barrage!" The armored hero quickly fired a salvo of missiles that consumed the slim archfiend.

"And the fun doesn't stop there! Sparkman, destroy the Infernalqueen! Static shockwave!" Jaden continued. The electrical hero immediately fired off a lightning blast that consumed the queen.

"I'll end my turn by throwing down two facedowns," Jaden concluded as two cards appeared on his back row, "Well, I may not have accomplished what I needed but I did manage to get some counters for you Lynn."

Spell Repository Counters – 4-7

"Hey, I appreciate that," Lynn agreed, "They'll come in handy soon and without the Infernalqueen, Terrorking's attack power drops back to 2000."

Terrorking Archfiend (ATK: 3000-2000)

"Are you sure about that? Everything you've done so far is for nothing!" Titan declared as another Infernalqueen appeared on his field, "I summon another Infernalqueen Archfiend and I'll use my spell card Double Summon to summon out another Vilepawn Archfiend, both in attack mode!" Within moments, his field mirrored what it was during his last turn.

"Not lishus! They're back where they started!" Chumley groaned.

"Yeah and with Infernalqueen back, all the monsters get their power back," Atsuko growled angrily.

Infernalqueen Archfiend (ATK: 900-1900)

Vilepawn Archfiend (ATK: 1200-2200)

Terrorking Archfiend (ATK: 2000-3000)

Spell Repository Counters – 7-8

"Oh man! Could this get any worse?" Syrus asked frightfully. Titan smirked as the Terrorking's chest cavity opened up.

"As a matter of fact, it can! Terrorking Archfiend, destroy the Rampart Blaster! Locust storm barrage!" Titan ordered as yet another torrent of bugs flew towards Jaden's burly hero.

"I don't think so! I play the trap card Hero Barrier!" Jaden countered as a barrier of light wrapped protectively around his monster, "As long as I have an Elemental Hero on the field, this trap can negate your monster's attack!"

"Too bad it only works once! Vilepawn Archfiend, finish what Terrorking could not! Checkmate sword!" Titan continued, his pawn rushed forward and cleaved through the Rampart Blaster's shield before removing the head of its owner. The hero's body collapsed in a heap before fading away.

 **Jaden's LP: 4000-3800**

"Tch! How gruesome!" Atsuko frowned.

"If you think that's bad, wait until my Infernal Queen has her turn!" Titan continued as the queen fired a burst of fire from her mouth straight at Jaden.

"Jaden no!" Syrus cried out.

"I don't think so! I play A Hero Emerges! This trap card forces you to pick a card from my hand and it it's a monster, I can summon it to the field," Jaden explained hastily as a robotic canine appeared on his field in time to absorb the blow, "But since Wroughtweiler (DEF: 1200) is the only card I have, it's your only choice! Not only that, since you destroyed Wroughtweiler, his ability activates and lets me add Polymerization and Burstinatix from my graveyard back to my hand."

"Grr… I place a facedown and end my turn," Titan concluded as a single card materialized behind his three monsters, "Your fighting spirit is impressive but how long do you think you can keep this up? I've already demonstrated I can restore my monsters as easily as you defeat them. Why don't you just give up and spare yourselves any further pain? Just allow the shadows to consume you…" Titan whipped out his pendant and golden light erupted from it again. The smoke covering the floor seemed to intensify as Jaden's leg began to fade away. A sense of nausea washed over the group as the light of the Millennium item intensified…

"No… I can't take much more of this," Lynn groaned as she fell to a knee.

"Milady…" Atsuko whispered, _I must save her but how?_ Her eyes pierced through the light and saw the source of the glow, the eye symbol on the pendant. As she stared, she realized the light was bobbing back and forth very slowly.

 _That light… It's almost mesmerizing… Wait! That's it! The only shadows here on in our heads!_ Atsuko realized. Carefully, she removed both of her hairpins. Her hair fell around her shoulders as she balanced one of the hairpins in her hand.

"Your shadows are nothing to fear. Your cheap illusion stops here, kamen-yaro!" Atsuko warned as she tossed her hairpin. Spinning like the shuriken that it resembled, the pin cut right into the Millennium Item and pierced the eye symbol. The light flashed off like a lightbulb going dead and the nausea passed as quickly as it came on. In that instance, the bodies of the three duelists returned to normal.

"Jaden! Lynn! You got your bodies back!" Syrus cried happily.

"That's because you never lost them! It was all just hypnosis brought on by that fake Millennium item of his," Atsuko said.

"Hypnosis?" Lynn asked. Atsuko nodded.

"I noticed it when I stared into the light. It was bobbing back and forth like a pendulum. Such a technique can be used for mesmerizing people. When I shattered it, the hypnosis ended as did the illusion," Atsuko explained. Jaden nodded in agreement.

"Yeah I thought this whole thing was fake from the very start. Titan here is probably just some out of work carnie!" Jaden deduced. The man pulled out the hairpin and tossed it at Jaden's feet. He picked it up and pocketed it.

"Not true! I could get my job back at the fair anytime I want!" The man cried out, dispelling his tough guy illusion.

"You're a side show phony and you're going to hand over Alexis and all the other kids you snatched!" Jaden demanded.

"Other kids? I don't know what you're talking about and because of your carnie comment, you can find your friend by yourself!" Titan hissed angrily. With that, the man pulled out a smoke bomb and tossed it as his feet, masking him.

"Hold it right there! You're not getting out of here that easily!" Lynn shouted as she and the Slifers gave chase. As they did, the dragon statues on the floor began to give off a golden light. When Jaden and Lynn reached the center of the room, the floor lit up with a golden eye mark and the three duelists and their entourage became ensnared in a black dome. Inside, the man faced the two teenagers.

"Whoa! How'd you perform this trick?" Jaden asked.

"I didn't…" But before Titan could say anything else, gray ball monsters with sharp teeth began to swarm the field. The shadow duelist was quickly mobbed and knocked to the floor. They then made to move towards the teenagers when a flash of light shot out from Jaden's duel disk and turned into Winged Kuriboh.

"Huh?" Lynn asked, unable to believe her eyes.

"Whoa, first I hear ya, near I see ya," Jaden told his friend. Kuriboh flapped its wings and flew down to the feet of the duelists and in a series of threatening cries, scared off the gray beasts.

"Whoa, way to show them who's boss Kuriboh," Jaden praised as he watched the hapless Shadow Duelist, "Too bad he doesn't have a friend like you." It was then a green vortex appeared in front of the Shadow Duelist's mouth and the creatures began to swarm into it. In a second, they had all vanished and the man's eyes began to glow red.

"Jaden Yuki, the shadows beg for a soul. Only one side shall survive," The shadow duelist said, his voice now deeper.

"Oh come on! Red contact lenses? You really went overboard setting up for this," Jaden sighed.

"This duel shall now continue in the Shadow Realm," The dark one declared as the monsters reappeared on the field. The pit of magma in the middle of the field turned purple as the gargoyles changed into bigger, much more menacing statues.

"Oh man! What's going on?" Chumley asked, "Why's the field changing?"

"Something tells me we're not in the abandoned dorm anymore," Atsuko said worryingly. Jaden however wasn't scared in the least.

"So you're still sticking with the Shadow Realm eh? That's fine by me! At least we get to finish our match!" Jaden replied, looking to Lynn, "It's your move Lynn."

"Right and I'll start things off by using my second Spell Power Grasp to give a spell counter to Breaker and add another Spell Power Grasp to my hand," Lynn began as her warrior's strength increased and another spell shuffled into her hand, "But that strength will be put to use destroying your field spell!" Breaker's sword glowed with power as he stabbed it into the ground. Shockwaves of magic erupted through the field and shattered the gargoyles created by the field spell.

"A wasted effort… With or without my field spell, not one of your monsters can damage my life points," Titan frowned.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that! I play the equip spell Spirit Medallion and add it to my Nabooru! This handy equip spell allows any spellcaster with less than 1000 attack points to attack directly!" Lynn explained as an orange talisman wrapped around itself around her neck. Empowered by the medallion's power, Nabooru fired a blast of orange energy that struck Titan head on.

 **Titan's LP: 3200-2300**

"Coward… First you make it so I can't attack you and then you attack me directly from behind your barrier," Titan replied grimly.

"Say what you want but there's one more thing that has to be resolved. Since Nabooru damaged your life points, you have to discard one card from your hand," Lynn warned as one of the cards in the shadow duelist's hand disappeared, "And let's not forget that with all the spells I've played this turn, my Spell Repository has been gaining spell counters."

"And I plan to use four of them to get another card," Lynn concluded as she drew again and ended her turn, "Jaden, it's up to you. If you can inflict enough damage this turn, we'll win."

Spell Repository Counters – 8-10-6

"You got it!" Jaden agreed, drawing a card. Unfortunately, his confidence was premature as he looked at the card in his hand.

"I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in defense mode!" Jaden announced as a new hero appeared. Garbed in blue armor with a white cape and a blaster mounted on his forearm, he crouched down in defense (DEF: 1200).

"And since Bubbleman is the only monster on my field, I can activate his super power. I get to draw two cards," Jaden explained as he increased his hand.

"Then I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn," Jaden concluded as a single card appeared behind his hero.

"Aw what's the matter? Running out of good monsters to play?" Titan taunted darkly.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. Without Pandemonium on the field, you lose 500 life points for each Archfiend on your field," Lynn cautioned.

 **Titan's LP: 2300-800**

"That won't matter shortly. I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards. Then I reveal my facedown card, Call of the Haunted. I'll use it to revive the Vilepawn Archfiend sleeping in my graveyard," Titan declared as a duplicate of his pawn emerged on the field (ATK: 2200).

"What's the point of that? With another Archfiend out, he'll lose even more life points on his next turn," Chumley said. His answer came when the two Vilepawns raised their swords and erected a barrier of darkness that enveloped Titan's field.

"Well that explains it. He's creating an attack lockdown just like Lynn's!" Atsuko realized.

"What do you mean?" Syrus asked.

"Just like Magician's Valkyria, Vilepawn Archfiend can redirect attacks to itself but with two out on the field now, Lynn and Jaden can't touch him," Atsuko explained.

"That won't help him much. He still can't harm Lynn and Jay's got most of his life points," Chumley pointed out.

"I'm afraid you're wrong there tubby. I use the spell card Offerings to the Doomed to destroy Valkyria and end your pathetic barrier!" Titan announced as he slotted in his spell. Bandages shot up out of the ground and swiftly mummified Valkyria. The magician struggled mightily but was ultimately helpless as she was bound and dragged into the ground. Without one of her magicians, Lynn's magical barrier flickered and eventually vanished.

"Oh no! This leaves me defenseless!" Lynn gasped. Titan grinned as his Vilepawns charged towards her monsters.

"It's all over for you girl! Vilepawn Archfiend, slay her pathetic magicians and wipe out her life points!" Titan commanded. Lynn gazed on in fright as the two pawns took a powerful leap towards both of her monsters. Just when they were about to attack, a barrier of yellow light wrapped around her field and repelled their attacks.

"Guess again! I play my trap card, Negate Attack!" Jaden countered, "This trap stops your attack and ends your battle phase."

"Well I guess that's it. With your life points nearly depleted, you'll lose on your next turn when your Archfiends' costs have to be paid up," Lynn sighed with relief, "We've won."

"Not necessarily. I play the Mystik Wok spell card and sacrifice my Terrorking to increase my life points by the value of its attack points," Titan concluded as his turn ended and Spell Repository gained more counters, "This duel will not end until a soul is defeated in battle and from what I can see of the two of you, your monsters are weak. Regardless of what you play, you will never defeat me. My Archfiends are superior to your creatures in every way." Lynn looked down at her deck and frowned.

 **Titan's LP: 800 – 3800**

Spell Repository Counters – 6-9

 _No, he's wrong. I've been working hard to improve my deck. I may not have figured out how to make it my own yet, but until I do, I'll still believe in my cards._ Lynn said as she drew a card. Gazing at it, her hopes rose.

"This isn't over. I summon Magical Exemplar!" Lynn announced, as a green-robed wizard appeared on her field (ATK: 1700), "Then I'll use my final Spell Power Grasp to add a spell counter to Breaker, boosting his attack points back to 1900. This also has the side effect of adding another counter to Spell Repository and two counters to Magical Exemplar."

"This move has no interest to me. It does not remove my life points," Titan pointed out.

"It will once I play this spell card: Megaton Magical Cannon!" Lynn countered as a massive cannon decorated with sigils appeared on the field, "This powerful spell requires that I remove ten spell counters to activate but once it is, this card will clear your entire field!"

"What? My entire field?!" Titan gasped. A massive cannon emerged between all three of Lynn's monsters as the ten spell counters stored in her vault set themselves in slots on the sides of the cannon.

"You're right Titan. We can't defeat your monsters with ours. Throughout this duel, I've had little luck drawing any of my powerhouses. It was then I realized that monsters alone don't win a duel!" Lynn explained, "So I'll use all the power I've stored up from my trap card and use it to clear out your field!" Fueled by the energy of the spell counters, the cannon released a titanic blast that blinded all the duelists as it engulfed Titan's side of the field. When the light faded, the duelists opened their eyes to see Titan's field completely and utterly empty.

"No! My barrier! My Archfiends! I'm defenseless!" Titan exclaimed.

"It's over! Breaker, Magical Exemplar, Nabooru! Attack his life points directly! Wipe him out!" Lynn commanded. The three magicians combined their magic and launched it as three beams that wrapped around each like a drill. The beam struck Titan at full power, knocking him on his back.

"This game is over!" Lynn declared as the little monsters began to swarm around the loser. Swiftly they overtook him and covered him like a blanket.

"No please! Somebody help me!" Titan screamed in fear. His pleas went unanswered however as the mysterious creatures dragged him into the ground and out of sight. The dome of darkness faded away and revealed Alexis's coffin, still intact.

"That was close…" Lynn sighed as the last of the darkness faded away. When the smoke cleared, the lid on the coffin vanished, revealing a sleeping Alexis. The five friends smiled in relief as they worked to set their friend free. With their friend in tow, the group carried her unconscious form outside to a clearing just out of sight of the abandoned dorm.

"Ugh…" Alexis groaned as the faces of her four friends filled her vision.

"Are you OK?" Lynn asked as she helped her friend sit up.

"I think so but what happened?" Alexis asked as Jaden held up her Etoile Cyber card.

"You don't remember? You got snatched up by this creepy shadow guy but we took care of him," Jaden grinned as Alexis took back her card.

"Oh that's right! He ambushed me… Thanks for saving me but… My brother. With all this chaos, we didn't get a chance to look for any clues," Alexis sighed.

"I'm not so sure about that. I found this," Lynn added, pulling the picture she had found out of her pocket, "Does he look familiar?"

"He sure does. This is my brother, Atticus," Alexis gasped as she took the picture in her hands, "This is the first solid clue I've had since arriving at Duel Academy."

"My brother?" Alexis gasped as she took the picture in her hands, "This is the first clue I've found in a long time. My brother was one of the students who went missing several years ago. I came to Duel Academy to find out what happened to him."

"If that's the case, then we'll help you look for him!" Syrus offered. Chumley nodded.

"Everyone... Thank you," Alexis said gratefully.

"I don't know about you guys, but this whole experience has exhausted me. We should be getting back," Lynn yawned.

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea. It's been a crazy night," Chumley agreed.

"OK then. We'll catch you all later," Lynn said and the groups went their separate ways. As the Slifers neared their dorm, Jaden put his hands into his pockets and his hand came back up with Atsuko's hairpin.

"Hey Atsuko, I almost forgot to give this back to you," Jaden said.

"My hairpin! Thanks. I thought I lost it in there," Atsuko said gratefully as she pocketed it.

"Come to think of it, that throw of yours was sweet. You nailed that fake Millennium item dead on," Syrus reflected, "How'd you do that?"

"I got lucky," Atsuko replied modestly, _sorry Jaden. I'd love to tell you the truth but I mustn't._ Before the conversation could continue, the first rays of sunshine began to appear over the trees.

"Uh oh. It's morning! If we're not back in the dorm by breakfast roll call, Professor Banner will wonder where we were!" Atsuko gasped. The three Slifer boys recoiled in fear at this and the four Slifers went into a run back for home. It was then the sound of multiple engines filled the air.

"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good," Atsuko frowned. Green military vehicles soon came into view. In a wave of dust and dirt, the trucks pulled to a stop, surrounding the students. Men in green blazers and bearing SWAT shields hopped out of the trucks and surrounded them.

"The Disciplinary Action Squad! We're in real trouble now," Chumley gasped as they closed in on them.


	7. Duel and Unusual Punishment

Daylight had dawned at Duel Academy but the sunny skies and warmth weren't present at the moment where Jaden, Syrus, Atsuko and Chumley were concerned. The four were currently standing in a dark circular room. Four TVs were the room's only source of light. Each one bore the image of different staff members consisting of Chancellor Shepherd, Dr. Crowler, Dr. Stratton, and a dark-haired woman in a green uniform, a woman who was the head of the Disciplinary Action Squad.

"Suspended? Us?" The four Slifers cried out.

"That's what I recommend. You four trespassed into the abandoned dorm, a forbidden zone on this island. An anonymous letter from a faculty member backs it up. To prevent repeat mishaps, I advise we punish you all," the woman proposed.

"Matte! You cannot punish us without allowing us to know all the facts! If you plan on punishing us, I demand to know who the anonymous letter was from!" Atsuko protested.

"That's not your business to know Miss Fujibayashi. You're the one in the wrong here," Dr. Stratton said, "But I've been thinking. What do we hope to prove by suspending these four? Considering their ranks in the school, punishing them with a suspension does little to affect student opinion."

"Yes, I agree. I say we arrange something more sporting. I say that these two pick two representatives and then have them face off in a tag duel. Win and they're cleared, but lose and you're all expelled," Dr. Crowler offered.

"A duel? That sounds sweet," Jaden claimed, "Count me in."

"Were you listening? If we lose, we're all going to be expelled!" Syrus had reminded him.

"Vellian, Ryan, are you sure that's a good idea? It wouldn't be very fitting to hinge the fate of four students on just two of them," Chancellor Shepherd frowned, his gaze turning to Atsuko and Chumley, "Especially considering those other circumstances we discussed earlier…" Dr. Stratton closed his eyes in thought and then opened one, it completely focused on Atsuko. The Asian girl eyed Chancellor Shepherd hatefully.

 _You won't expel me._ Atsuko thought. _I'm not here to study. I'm here to protect Lynn-hime._

"…Fine. Per our arranged terms earlier, we will punish Jaden and Syrus with the duel," Dr. Crowler consented. The four Slifers looked at one another in surprise.

"Aw come on! That's not fair," Syrus whined, "I didn't even want to go into the abandoned dorm in the first place! Why are Jay and me getting punished and not these two?"

"I never said they'd get off for free. I have something else in mind for you two," Dr. Stratton said, looking to the other two Slifers, "That will be discussed later. For now, I advise you to prepare for what is to come."

"Ah excellent. Then I'll arrange some opponents," Chancellor Shepherd said.

"Don't worry about that Chancellor. I wouldn't want to bother you with this endeavor. Allow me to handle all the arrangements," Dr. Crowler insisted, a grin forming on his face.

"…I don't think that wise Dr. Crowler. Given your predilection towards Slifers, I don't think you're fit to make that decision," Dr. Stratton remarked, "Especially since we had that one incident last year… You hired those two dueling mercenaries and we had to settle up that expensive check? Ring any bells?" Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Shepherd both winced, reminded of the doctor's past incident.

"I see your point. Do you have someone in mind for this?" Chancellor Shepherd asked.

"I do. Allow me to handle this and it won't cost us so much money," Dr. Stratton assured them. Dr. Crowler frowned in anger, put off by his colleague's forwardness.

"Very well. I leave the details to you Ryan. Now, if that's settled, I believe we should end this meeting," Dr. Crowler sighed. With the meeting concluded, the four Slifers walked out.

"This is whole thing is way not lishus. Why are we off the hook Atsuko?" Chumley wondered.

 _I know why. I can't tell you though._ Atsuko thought to herself, "I wish I knew Chumley-kun. I suppose we should be grateful we got off at all."

"Yeah but what about Sy and Jay? It doesn't seem fair," Chumley protested, "Not that I'm really complaining…"

"Let's just let it go for now. Stratton-hakase is still going to punish us later," Atsuko reminded him.

"Yeah but it's not fair. I'm an awful duelist. If we team up in a double duel, we're sure to lose," Syrus whined.

"You can't think like that Syrus. After class today, we'll work out all our kinks," Jaden offered, "Truth is, I wouldn't want any other partner."

"What are you, nuts?" Syrus grimaced. The school bell then rang.

"Don't worry about it right now OK. We've got class now," Atsuko reminded them, "And with our teachers mad at us already, do we really wish to tempt fate again?" The boys grimaced as the lone girl in their group led them to class.

 **Chapter Seven: Duel and Unusual Punishment**

In another part of the school, word of the arrest had gotten around. Students all over were discussing it. In one of the classrooms, Lynn was discussing it with Alexis.

"Did you hear about Jaden and the others? Apparently, the Disciplinary Action Squad picked them up outside the abandoned dorm," Alexis asked.

"Yeah I heard but how did the Disciplinary Action Squad know he was at the abandoned dorm?" Lynn wondered.

"Here's a better question. Why weren't _we_ punished for going there?" Alexis asked back.

"I don't know but what about that shadow duelist? How'd he get on the island?" Lynn pondered, "I thought this island was supposed to keep unwanted guests off."

"Yeah that's something I'd like to know. How did Titan know we'd be there in the first place?" Alexis frowned.

"Yeah and the guy sounded like he was focused on Jaden…" Lynn said, "Could someone be trying to harm him?" Before the conversation could continue, Dr. Stratton walked in ready for class.

"Alright everyone, settle down. Apologies for the late arrival. Let's get started. Please open your books to chapter eleven, Tag Team Psychology," Dr. Stratton ordered as he unpacked his things. The students silently moaned and groaned as they picked up their books.

"Psst, hey Slacker… You might want to pay attention. I hear you need this," Chazz snickered quietly. Jaden growled quietly as he popped open his book. The conversation didn't go unnoticed.

"Mr. Princeton, did you have something to say?" Dr. Stratton asked aloud, not looking up from his work.

"Um no sir. I was just encouraging my fellow students to…" Chazz began when the teacher turned around, hands on his hips, discontent on his face.

"Save it Mr. Princeton. Your excuses don't impress. I suggest you make like the rest of your class by opening your book to chapter eleven and letting _me_ handle the lecture," Dr. Stratton snapped. Chazz recoiled as if stung and immediately opened his book.

"Thank you. Now as I'm sure your aware, two of the students in this class are to be punished for trespassing into the abandoned dorm. We're having a tag duel to decide whether or not they will remain in this school. That's why I've decided to shift our focus this week on tag team duel psychology. Can anybody here define what a tag team duel is?" Dr. Stratton asked, "Miss Rhodes?" Alexis immediately stood up.

"Tag team dueling is a format of Duel Monsters where two teams of two duelists face off. They share life points, field space, and tactics while trying to defeat the other team," Alexis explained before sitting down.

"Very good. Now can anyone here explain the rules of an official tag according to the International Duel Monsters Pro League?" Dr. Stratton asked, looking around and settling on Syrus, "Mr. Truesdale?" Syrus jumped up in fright as he stood up.

"Uh the rules? Um, the first is… uh…" Syrus stammered, stumbling over his words. He immediately looked down into his book and began frantically flipping through the pages.

"Relax Sy. You've got this," Jaden whispered.

"Mr. Truesdale, this is very important. Seeing as how you and Mr. Yuki are on the chopping block, I advise you both to learn the rules and how to work as a team," Dr. Stratton warned.

"But sir, I've never tag dueled before. I can barely duel as is," Syrus protested.

"Well, if that's the case, I suggest you get some first-hand experience and duel alongside your partner right now," Dr. Stratton insisted, pulling out four duel disks from his desk.

"Duel now? With who?" Syrus asked nervously.

"Who indeed? Let's see…" Dr. Stratton said, looking over the class. His gaze eventually settled on Lynn and Alexis.

"Lynn Hero! Alexis Rhodes! You two shall duel," Dr. Stratton ordered. The two girls perked up and nodded.

"Yes sir," Lynn agreed as she and Alexis got up from their desks and went down to the floor. The boys quickly joined them and armed themselves with the duel disks. The girls stood on one side of the room while the boys stood on the other. Dr. Stratton positioned himself off to the side near the students who were still in their seats.

"Um. Somebody want to explain the rules of this duel?" Syrus said, "I'm still not clear on them."

"I'll explain the rules for you so pay attention all of you. Tag team dueling isn't too different from standard matches. There's just a few things to keep in mind. First off, each team shares 8000 life points and the first team to run out loses. Secondly, nobody can launch an attack until all players have taken a turn. Third, you can't share strategy but you can use your partner's spells and traps on the field. Lastly, a player without a monster can be attacked directly even if their partner has one," Dr. Stratton explained, "Does that help?"

"That's a lot of rules to remember," Syrus said sullenly, "I'm not sure I'll remember them all."

"Don't let the rules overwhelm you Syrus. Just remember to protect yourself and your partner and you'll be OK," Alexis insisted.

"Yeah. I'll try," Syrus said sullenly.

"Maybe it would be easier if we just started the match? Then you can see and experience it for yourself," Dr. Stratton offered.

"Yeah that's a good idea," Jaden agreed, a broad smile forming on his face, "Now let's have some fun." His enthusiasm was not shared by his tag partner.

"Sure, we might as well have some fun before we get expelled," Syrus frowned sadly.

"Your defeatist attitude is not becoming of a dueling champion Syrus. I suggest you find your confidence now," Dr. Stratton advised, "And since you don't seem eager to start things, I'm going to order Alexis to go first, then Jaden, then Lynn, and then back to you. Pay close attention now and let's get started."

"Yes sir. You ready Jay? Lynn?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah let's go," Lynn replied eagerly.

"Get your game on!" Jaden replied back.

"Yeah sure, whatever," Syrus frowned.

"Game on!"

 **Alexis and Lynn's LP: 8000**

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 8000**

"For this double duel, I'll start things off by throwing down a facedown. Then, I summon Warrior Lady of the Wasteland and end my turn," Alexis declared, as a female warrior in ragged brown robes appeared on her field (DEF: 1200), "It's your move Jay."

"Alright! I'll summon Elemental Hero Clayman in defense mode (DEF: 2000) and call it a turn," Jaden said as his block monster appeared, crouched in defense, "It's your move Lynn."

"You're too kind. First, I'll throw a card facedown too, and then I'll summon Lost Legend Yunobo in defense mode," Lynn announced as a bulky rock warrior emerged on the field. Garbed in a mawashi and a blue sash wrapped around his neck, he crouched timidly with his arms in a defensive posture (DEF: 1800).

"Next, I'll use his effect. It lets me add a Lost Legend from my deck to my hand. I'll choose Lost Legend Sidon and end my turn," Lynn concluded, removing a card from her deck and placing it in her hand, "Your move Sy."

"OK here goes," Syrus said, drawing a card. Looking through his hand, his apprehension disappeared as he was delighted by what he saw.

 _Ooh! I got my Quick Rush spell card. I can attack now and help us get an early advantage._ Syrus smiled.

"Hey Sy! You get something good?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah I think so. I summon Drillroid in attack mode!" Syrus announced as a cartoonish tank with a drill for a nose appeared on his field (ATK: 1600).

"Then I'll play the spell card Quick Rush. This spell allows me to attack right away on the first turn of a duel even if I'm not allowed to!" Syrus grinned. The girls in turn were looking back at him, thoughts racing through their minds.

 _This isn't good. If Syrus attacks me now with Drilloid's power, my trap might as well be useless._ Lynn thought nervously.

"Yeah and I'll use my free attack against… Warrior Lady of the Wasteland!" Syrus ordered. The two girls breathed a sigh of relief as the drill tank impaled Alexis's monster and destroyed it.

"Gotcha! Now you're down one monster!" Syrus grinned confidently. His newfound confidence was not shared by his partner or his teacher or even his fellow classmates. Dr. Stratton rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"What an idiot," Chazz laughed, "I can't believe that slacker was dumb enough to do that!" His laughter was swiftly suppressed by a glare from Dr. Stratton.

"Huh? Did I do something wrong?" Syrus asked.

"Unfortunately, Syrus you did. Warrior Lady of the Wasteland has a special power! When destroyed, I can special summon Blade Skater from my deck to the field! And that's not all! Your attack also triggered my trap card! It's called Soul Rope and it allows me to call another monster from my deck as long as I pay 1000 life points first," Alexis explained as a purple and gray bald monster appeared on her field. It wore ice skates on her feet and had blades mounted on her forearms (ATK: 1400).

 **Alexis and Lynn's LP: 8000-7000**

"The monster I choose to special summon is Etoile Cyber," Alexis continued as a second monster appeared on her field. Garbed in a full red and white bodysuit, long white ribbons flowed out around her arms and long orange hair decorated her head (ATK: 1200).

"Huh? Two monsters at once? Oh man," Syrus whined.

"That was a sloppy move Syrus. You would've been better off attacking Lynn's monster," Dr. Stratton chastised.

"But my Drilloid isn't strong enough to destroy it," Syrus protested.

"Points don't matter when it comes to Drilloid. You forget Syrus that Drilloid can destroy any monster hiding in defense mode, even ones with higher defense than its attack. You'd still take damage of course but you would've deprived the girls of one monster," Dr. Stratton explained, "Instead, your sloppy move has put you and your partner in a precarious position."

"Oh, I'm sorry Jay," Syrus apologized as he ended his turn.

"It's cool Sy. This duel has just started. We've got plenty of time to turn it around," Jaden insisted confidently. Alexis drew a card and immediately grinned.

"Not if I play a card like this. I play the spell card Polymerization! I fuse my Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater on the field to fusion summon Cyber Blader in attack mode," Alexis announced as the two monsters she controlled flew into a vortex and came out as one female monster wearing a purple and red bodysuit and ice skates. The difference was that the monster was taller and had long purple hair and a red visor covering her eyes (ATK: 2100).

"Next I'll activate Cyber Blader's special ability. Since the two of you control two monsters between you, my monster's attack doubles!" Alexis explained as her monster powered up.

Cyber Blader ATK: 2100-4200

"Now Cyber Blader, attack Drillroid! Skate blade slash!" Alexis commanded. Her female warrior skated across the floor and launched a fearsome kick that cut down Syrus's machine.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 8000-5400**

"Oh man! My Drilloid's history," Syrus frowned.

"Now with one less monster on the field, my Cyber Blader's attack power drops back to 2100. Lastly, I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn," Alexis concluded as a single card emerged behind her monster, "Show me what you got Jay!"

"Alright. My turn then and what a turn it'll be! First, I'll throw down a facedown. I'll play the spell card Polymerization!" Jaden announced, "And now with the field set, it's time for some fusion action! I'll combine the Sparkman in my hand with the Clayman on my field in order to fusion summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant (ATK: 2400)!" The lightning hero briefly emerged on the field and merged with Jaden's current hero on the field to form his familiar giant hero.

"And now I'll use Thunder Giant's superpower! When summoned, he can destroy any monster on the field whose original attack points are less than his own. I'll choose your Cyber Blader!" Jaden grinned. The giant roared in anger as it conjured a bolt of lightning that consumed Alexis's monster in a fiery explosion.

"No! My monster's gone!" Alexis gasped.

"And now that you have no monsters Lex, I'll attack you directly! Bolting thunder!" Jaden commanded. His hero roared bravely as it summoned a bolt of lightning that moved towards Alexis. The two girls glanced at each other and nodded.

"I play my facedown card, Shift! This redirects your attack to Lost Legend Yunobo!" Alexis announced as her facedown card opened. Under the trap's influence, the bolt got redirected towards Lynn's monster.

"Huh? But Lynn's monster will be destroyed!" Syrus protested. Lynn smirked.

"No, it won't. Not with _my_ trap card Champion's Art - Daruk's Protection ready to help! Once activated, this trap becomes an equip spell and equips to Yunobo. Once equipped, it makes it so my monster can't be destroyed in battle," Lynn explained as a sphere or orange light enveloped her rock monster. The barrier repelled Thunder Giant's lightning and Yunobo stood unharmed.

"Ah! An excellent combination. This is a prime example of teamwork. I hope everyone is watching and noting closely," Dr. Stratton butted in.

"Sweet move but mine's not over yet! I play De-Fusion! This spell will split my Thunder Giant back into Sparkman (ATK: 1600) and Clayman (ATK: 800)!" Jaden continued as his giant reverted back to the two monsters used to make it. He then looked over at Alexis and smirked. The dark blond winced, realizing she was now vulnerable.

"Your Shift trap card only works once so my Sparkman and Clayman are free to attack your directly! Go, double direct attack!" Jaden ordered. Both of their monsters leapt forward and Alexis grimaced in pain as both of their fists collided with her and knocked her off her feet.

 **Lynn and Alexis's LP: 7000-6200-4600**

"Alexis! You OK?" Lynn asked. The girl sat up and shook her head.

"I'm fine," Alexis assured her as she climbed to her feet.

"My turn's over. Now let's see what you got Lynn," Jaden challenged.

"Gladly! I draw!" Lynn challenged back, drawing a card, "I play the spell card Lost Legacy Revival! This spell allows me to tribute a Lost Legend and special summon from my hand or deck a Lost Champion of the same attribute! I'll send Yunobo to the graveyard and special summon the Lost Champion Daruk!" The light from the spell consumed Yunobo and in his place was another rocky monster similar to him. This one also wore a mawashi but his blue sash was draped over his back and around his shoulder and metal bracelets wrapped around his wrists. Much bulkier than the first, he had a mane of white hair around his head, including a beard and mustache. Unlike the timid Yunobo, Daruk grinned broadly as he stood on the field (ATK: 2800).

"Next I'll summon Lost Legend Sidon in defense mode," Lynn continued as a humanoid monster appeared on the field. Red and white in color, he stood dressed in silver and sapphires. The fins that adorned his legs and arms and the sharp pointed teeth strongly indicated he belonged in the water (DEF: 1400).

"Then I'll activate his special ability. Once per turn, he can raise the attack points of another monster on the field by 500 points," Lynn announced. A watery aura surrounded both of Lynn's monsters as her watery warrior powered up the fiery one.

Lost Champion Daruk ATK: 2800-3300

"Now with Daruk powered up and you defenseless, I'll launch an attack on you Syrus!" Lynn declared, her rocky champion rushing forward, fist raised to strike, "Attack with rock fist rampage!"

"I don't think so! I play Hero Barrier!" Jaden countered as a barrier of wind surrounded Syrus, "My trap card can stop an attack as long as I have an Elemental Hero on the field." Deterred by the barrier, Daruk growled in anger as he was forced back to Lynn's side.

"Fine, I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn," Lynn concluded as a facedown emerged behind her monsters. As she did, Lynn looked over at Alexis and her empty field.

 _Alright. I think we're set. As long as Syrus doesn't play too powerful a monster, I think we've got this duel won._ Lynn thought. Alexis on the other hand was having different thoughts.

 _With my field empty, I'm going to have to depend on Lynn to watch my back until my turn comes around._ Alexis pondered, gazing down at her hand, _but if I can just hold out through Syrus's turn, I think I can win the duel in our next turn._ Syrus on the other hand wasn't nearly as confident at the girls were.

 _We're in serious trouble here. With Daruk powered up, Lynn could crush any monster we play. We're toast._ Syrus frowned.

"Hey Sy! Don't give up!" Jaden urged. Syrus snapped up, looking to his partner.

"I know things aren't looking good, but you can't give up so easily," Jaden explained, "it's easy to make one mistake in a match but as long as you have life points and the ability to draw, you've always got hope. Now go ahead and make your move buddy."

"OK, here goes," Syrus said, drawing a card. He gasped in shock at what he drew – The spell card Power Bond.

 _He must've gotten a really powerful card._ Lynn thought. For several moments, Syrus just stood there in shock.

 _Power Bond… Just like Polymerization, it can summon a machine monster with double the attack points. I know I'm not good enough to play this card… at least according to my brother… But…_ Syrus reflected, looking over the rest of his cards. He then looked up at Lynn and Alexis and their respective fields, he realized he could end it right now.

 _Syrus… What are you going to do?_ Dr. Stratton wondered.

 _He's sure taking a long time to make his move._ Jaden remarked quietly, "Syrus! Are you gonna make a move?" Syrus snapped back into reality as he placed the card he drew into his duel disk.

"Sure am! Now I'll activate the spell card Power Bond," Syrus said nervously.

"Power Bond?" Lynn gasped, her eyes widened in surprise, _since when did Syrus have that card in his deck?_

"For those of you that don't know, it's not your ordinary fusion card! I'll use it to fuse together the Gyroid and Steamroid that I have in my hand to create the Steam Gryoid!" Syrus declared, a cartoon train and copter appearing on the field. The two monsters vanished into a vortex and reemerged, the train now having a propeller at its waist (ATK: 2200).

"Uh oh!" Lynn and Alexis gasped.

"And now my spell's effect activates! Power Bond will double his attack points!" Syrus said boldly. His train monster's whistle blew loudly as the spell's effect reinforced its attack points.

Steam Gyroid ATK: 2200-4400

"It doesn't matter if you double his points or not. As long as Daruk is in play, it's the only monster Syrus can attack," Lynn pointed out.

"Oh really? It won't matter when I use the spell card Limiter Removal. This card will double my monster's attack points again!" Syrus continued. His train monster's body vibrated as its power grew even further.

Steam Gyroid ATK: 4400-8800

"8800 attack points? That's massive!" Lynn gasped.

"This isn't good! If he attacks now, we're finished," Alexis winced.

"Got that right and now with his attack power maxed out, I'll have him attack Daruk for the win! Train twister!" Syrus commanded. The propeller blades around its waist began to spin rapidly. A cyclone rushed towards the girls but Lynn's fear quickly turned into a smirk.

"Guess again! I reveal my trap card Champion's Art - Flurry Rush. I can use it so long as I control a Lost Legend or Lost Champion on my field. It blocks your attack and reduces Steam Gyroid's attack power by 800 points," Lynn countered. Daruk grinned as he sidestepped protectively in front of the girls. The fiery warrior raised his fists and grabbed Steam Gyroid's propellers, stopping the attack. With the machine immobilized, Daruk launched a quick barrage of eight punches that sapped the machine monster's strength.

Steam Gyroid ATK: 8800-8000

"No! My attack didn't work!" Syrus moaned as he ended his turn. It was then his monster bent over and whistled in pain. With a loud roar and screech, Steam Gyroid exploded.

"That was a reckless move Syrus and thoughtless too," Dr. Stratton chastised.

"Hey, why did that monster self-destruct?" One of the students asked.

"It was due to Limiter Removal's effect. While it does double the attack points of a machine monster, it also destroys it during the end phase," Dr. Stratton remarked as Syrus's spell backfired, "And not only that, since Syrus used Power Bond to form the monster, he now loses life points equal to Steam Gyroid's original attack points – 2200 to be exact." Syrus looked over gloomfully at his partner, tears forming in his eyes as the team suffered the damage.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 5400-3200**

"I'm sorry Jay. I thought I had them for sure," Syrus cried tearfully.

"Hey it's okay Syrus. You just forgot to consider Lynn's facedown card. It's cool," Jaden comforted.

"Sorry to disagree with you Jay but what Syrus did is _not_ cool. In a tag team duel, you have to consider your partner's wellbeing and not just your own. The same can also be said about all the cards your opponents control. You made a sloppy Syrus and now your team is about to suffer for it," Alexis announced as a mechanical sphere monster with tiny wings appeared on her field, "I summon Cyber Petit Angel (ATK: 300) and with it out on the field, my angel's effect adds Machine Angel Ritual to my hand from my deck." A card poked itself out of Alexis's deck and into her hand and her deck was shuffled.

"But it's not going to stay there. I'm going to use it right away!" Alexis continued, looking to her partner, "Can I borrow a monster Lynn?" Lynn nodded.

"Sure. Go for it Lex!" Lynn agreed.

"With that settled, I'll tribute Cyber Petit Angel and Lost Legend Sidon to ritual summon Cyber Angel Benten!" Alexis announced as a large urn materialized on her field. Her tiny angel and Lynn's Sidon jumped inside and were swiftly consumed by a brilliant red flame. Out of the flames came a new monster. Garbed in a sleeveless white and purple bodysuit, she wore red boots and gloves and an elaborate crown and mask of gold. A long mane of raven hair adorned her head and flowed down her back as she wielded a pair of crimson battle fans (ATK: 1800).

"Then I'll equip my equip spell Ritual Weapon boosting my angel's attack points by 1500!" Alexis continued as a magical crossbow appeared in her monster's hands.

Cyber Angel Benten ATK: 1800-3300

"Now Cyber Angel Benten! Attack and destroy Elemental Hero Clayman!" Alexis ordered. Her monster immediately took aim at Jaden's blocky hero. With its target locked, Benten fired off an energy blast that consumed Jaden's monster.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 3200-700**

"Oh man! Our life points are nearly gone," Syrus winced.

"Actually Syrus, this duel is over. When Cyber Angel Benten destroys a monster in battle, you and Jay will take damage equal to the defense points of your destroyed monster," Alexis pointed out. Jaden and Syrus gasped in surprise as Benten launched a second blast and struck the both of them.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 700-0**

"Sorry boys. This duel belongs to us," Lynn apologized as the holograms faded. The boys picked themselves up off the ground as Dr. Stratton walked back to the front of the room. The four duelists removed the duel disks and placed them at the front of the room before returning to their seats.

"Well done girls. That was a well-deserved victory," Dr. Stratton praised, "I hope you all learned something from this. Just now you all saw two examples of tag team dueling. The girls demonstrated great teamwork and cooperation, two of the most important aspects of tag team dueling. On the other side, the boys demonstrated what happens when you don't cooperate, when you don't think of the team and only think of yourselves. Keep that in mind as we continue today's lesson…" A lengthy discussion followed as Dr. Stratton instructed the students in tag team dueling. When the bell rang, the students packed up to head out but Dr. Stratton walked up to Syrus.

"Syrus? About your performance today…" Dr. Stratton began.

"I know. I stunk. I messed up on every turn. I'm not good enough to be here," Syrus cried, tears forming in his eyes.

"Now hold on. That's not what I was going to say. I was going to tell you that if you needed some tutoring, I can arrange it if needed," Dr. Stratton offered.

"No thanks," Syrus replied sadly, _I won't be around for much longer anyway. It'd just be a waste of time._

"Fair enough. The offer stands though if you change your mind," Dr. Stratton said as he packed up his own things. Outside the classroom, Jaden, Alexis and Lynn lingered as they waited for Syrus to come out. Upon seeing his friends, Syrus couldn't make eye contact. He tried to walk past only to have his friends flank him.

"Syrus… About today's duel," Lynn began.

"I don't want to talk about it," Syrus sniffed sadly, "I messed everything up. There's no getting around it."

"Well yeah you did mess up but today was just a practice duel. If you work hard alongside Jaden, I'm sure you can get ready in time for your tag duel," Alexis said but Syrus looked away.

"You don't understand. My big brother says I'm not good enough to even be a duelist," Syrus whined.

"That's ridiculous. You can be a good duelist. Take today for example. Had your last attack worked, Alexis and I would've lost," Lynn pointed out.

"But it didn't! Dr. Stratton was right. I didn't take into account the facedown card. I left my partner open to attack. Ugh! It's this Power Bond card. I got this spell from my brother when I was in grade school. Ever since that day, I haven't used it to win a single duel. Not once. What's worse is that when I try to use it, it totally backfires on me," Syrus sniffed tearfully, "It doesn't matter what I do. I'm never going to be good enough to help Jaden. I'm going to mess up the tag duel and get us both expelled." Driven to the point of tears, he ran off crying.

"Syrus! Wait!" Jaden called but the boy disappeared around the corner and vanished, "Oh, what's wrong with him? Why is he letting his brother mess with his head?"

"I'm not entirely sure. He was friends with my brother since prep school. He's a third-year Obelisk Blue and the top-ranked duelist on campus two now three years running… His name is Zane," Alexis explained, looking at Lynn, "And you had a run-in with him not too long ago."

"Not too long ago… Wait! The duelist who beat me at the last promotion exam? _That_ Zane is Syrus's brother?" Lynn remarked, recalling the harsh loss she had dueling him, "I can totally see why Syrus has confidence issues. Just one duel with him and _my_ confidence was shaken pretty badly."

"Yeah, but Syrus has been living him with for years, right? I can't just let this go. I've got to do something to help him," Jaden insisted, "Starting with his brother…"

"Jaden, you shouldn't pry. That's their business," Alexis pointed out.

"Not when my partner isn't dueling at his best," Jaden protested, "No. I'm not going to do more than pry. I'm going to duel Zane and find out what's going on!"

"Duel Zane? You sure you want to do that?" Lynn asked cautiously.

"Oh, yeah I do. I want to duel the best and besides… I want to see how I stack up against him!" Jaden grinned. The two Obelisk Blue girls smiled at their friend's confidence.

"Well, I guess if anyone can take Zane, it would be you Jay," Lynn agreed.

77


	8. Bully for the Bully

" _Dear Mom, sorry I've been so busy. I meant to get back you as soon as I got your email but things have been crazy around here as of late. Duel Academy is certainly an interesting place. Since arriving, I've been involved in so much I'm not sure I could cover it all in one email but I'll sure try. First off, I've made some friends. Their names are Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine. I included a photo of them in the attachments. Second, I managed to get past the first promotion exam and stay in Obelisk Blue. Unfortunately, I ended up dueling the top duelist in school and lost with your cards. He said it was because the deck isn't mine…"_ Lynn typed aloud. Currently resting in her dorm room before school, Lynn was busy typing an email to her mother about her adventures at Duel Academy. Leaning back in her chair, she looked to up where Valkyria was lounging, floating directly above her.

"Hmm… I wonder if I should mention what happened at the abandoned dorm," Lynn frowned.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you mistress. Knowing your mother, she's bound to be angry," Valkyria remarked, "Why not continue the email with the latest developments on your deck instead?"

"Good idea," Lynn consented as she turned back to her computer, _"…But I've been working on that. I was a little discouraged at first but I've been trading with other students and well… I think I've got a winning formula here. Alexis thinks it's pretty strong. She and the girls have been helping me fine tune it and Ms. Fontaine had a few ideas she shared with me. I have to admit that I removed a lot of your old cards but don't worry, I didn't trade them away or anything. I know what they mean to you."_ A small clock symbol then appeared in the corner of Lynn's screen along with the word GYM in bright red letters.

" _Anyhow, my next class is about to start so I have to go now. Here's hoping things are going well at home. Love you,"_ Lynn concluded. Satisfied with her message, Lynn sent it off.

"Time for class?" Valkyria guessed.

"Yup," Lynn grinned, grabbing her bag and her deck, "Got tennis with Ms. Fontaine this morning."

"You seem rather happy as of late milady. You usually dread tennis class," Valkyria remarked, "Come to think of it. You've been a lot bolder since your loss to Zane and begun work on your new deck."

"I know. Maybe it's just because things have been going so well lately. Had to trade with over a dozen Obelisks but I was able to get some more of the cards I was looking for. I'm not done yet though. I'm still fine tuning but Duel Academy better look out. The new and improved Lynn Hero is going to make the scene!" Lynn grinned.

 **Chapter Eight: Bully for the Bully**

"The new and improved Lynn Hero… Oh what was I thinking when I got up this morning?" Lynn gasped fearfully as she tightened her grip on her racquet. Gym class was Lynn's first class of the day and she was presently locked in a singles tennis match with an older second year student. The girl had waist-length red bushy hair and eyes to match, her smile was currently bent in an almost evil smirk. That smirk was well-deserved – Lynn was losing to her badly.

"Match point hon!" The girl grinned as she balanced the tennis ball in her hand. Lynn winced in fear and anguish as the girl served the ball. Lynn was quick to send it back but the girl countered with an overhead slam that sent the ball off to the corner and just out of Lynn's reach.

"Ha! Game and set! Care to make it five out of nine, loser?" The girl taunted. Lynn grimaced in disgust as she picked up the ball and balanced it in her hand. Valkyria appeared at Lynn's side.

"Are you alright? You look like you're about to collapse," Valkyria frowned. Lynn wiped the sweat from her brow and focused her gaze on the girl on the other side of the net.

"Not really. Of all the people I could get paired up against in gym, I had to get paired up against Missy," Lynn groaned, "The one girl whose idea of fun is to beat me to a pulp and humiliate me in the process…"

"Hey! Quit talking to yourself and serve the ball already," Missy shouted angrily. Lynn frowned in anger.

"Oh, I'll serve it alright," Lynn growled quietly. Concentrating, the mark on her hand glowed softly as Lynn focused on the ball in her hand. Sensing the power in her rising, Valkyria swallowed in fear.

"What are you doing?" Valkyria asked fearfully.

"Serving the ball… My way," Lynn grunted as she served. The ball swiftly flew over the net and Missy sent it right back. As the ball soared towards her, Lynn used a burst of mental energy and the ball suddenly lost most of its force allowing her to knock it back easily. As she did, Lynn used one more burst to give the ball a jolt of energy that made it sail right into the corner and out of Missy's range.

"Ha! 15-love!" Lynn hooted. Missy seethed in anger as she went to retrieve the ball.

"You're using your telekinesis," Valkyria realized, "But isn't that cheating?"

"I like to think of it as equalizing," Lynn mumbled as Missy came back, "I'm outclassed by her as it is." Lynn retuned her focus back on Missy as the older girl served once more. Lynn darted to the ball and again used the same trick to slow it enough for her to catch up to it and knock it back. Another burst of will made the ball sail past and allowed Lynn to score again.

"Alright! 30-love! I'm back in this!" Lynn cheered as Missy retrieved the ball again.

"Alright, _now_ it's cheating. You should stop now milady. This isn't good sportsmanship," Valkyria chastised as Missy came back to the line.

"Lucky shot you little twerp! This time you won't get past me!" Missy promised. Emboldened by her two successes, Lynn grinned.

"You keep on talking Missy!" Lynn called back angrily. Missy recoiled as if struck and then immediately went red-faced with anger. Enraged, Missy launched a vicious serve that Lynn barely managed to deflect. A brief trade of blows occurred as the two girls dueled for dominance. Eventually, Lynn got tired and with another burst of psychokinetic power, launched the ball into the corner of Missy's field. Lynn sighed as she swiped the sweat from her forehead yet again.

"I'm serious Lynn. You better stop. _Someone's_ going to notice…" Valkyria cautioned as several students who had finished their games had come to the sides of the court to watch.

"Match point Missy. Better not miss," Lynn taunted, completely ignoring her duel spirit.

"How dare you sass me you little freshman! I'll teach you some respect for your elders," Missy shouted angrily.

"Bring it on! I'll smack that ball right into your mouth!" Lynn vowed.

"This is not going to end well," Valkyria remarked as she vanished. Shouting angrily, Missy launched the ball with a vicious swing. With equal ferocity, Lynn backhanded it right back and the ball flew with full force right into Missy's mouth. The girl moaned in agony as she dropped her racquet and clutched her mouth. She looked up in Lynn who was doubled over in laughter as she and several of the other first years watched the red-headed bully tear up in pain.

"Well, you can't say you didn't ask for it," Lynn laughed. Lynn's laughter quickly faded though as a wave of exhaustion hit her and she fell to her hands and knees. Ms. Fontaine blew her whistle, signaling the end of class.

"Alright! Show's over. Everyone hit the showers and go to your next class," Ms. Fontaine dismissed, before turning her focus to the two tennis rivals. Missy and Lynn looked up at Ms. Fontaine and saw her head of dorm was displeased but said nothing as she went off to get ready for her next class. Lynn and Missy looked at each other hatefully before walking off the court. As lunchtime rolled around, Lynn joined Alexis in the hallway and began walking towards class.

"Brutal gym class?" Alexis asked, noticing her friend's slumped posture.

"Yeah. Got paired up against Missy in tennis," Lynn groaned, rubbing her shoulder, "Girl hits hard. "

"The way I hear it, you hit her back harder," Alexis remarked. Lynn smiled wearily.

"Missy doesn't know how to win gracefully. The way she was going on every time I lost to her, you think she'd won Wimbledon or something," Lynn sighed.

"Hence the tennis ball in her mouth, am I right?" Alexis snickered.

"She had it coming," Lynn said as she and her friend entered the cafeteria. After grabbing their lunches, they sat in their usual booth. To their concern, their two other friends were missing.

"Where are Mindy and Jasmine?" Lynn asked her friend, "They should've been here before us."

"Not sure. Maybe their last class ran long?" Alexis proposed. Just as they were about to start in on their lunch, Missy came by with two other girls flanking her. Only Missy had a lunch tray.

"Hey hon. Thanks for keeping our booth warm. You two can go now," Missy ordered dismissively.

"Excuse me? We were sitting here first," Alexis pointed out, jerking her thumb behind her, "There's another empty booth right behind us."

"But your booth has the best view. It just screams me. You freshmen don't need it," Missy frowned, glaring down at the two girls.

"Hey Missy? Isn't that the girl who humiliated you in gym class this morning?" One of the girls asked, pointing at Lynn, "Doesn't she owe you or something?"

"As a matter of fact, she does. Girls? Collect her debt from me, won't you?" Missy asked. Missy's two friends stepped forward and suddenly reached forward and grabbed the two girls by their blazers. Alexis and Lynn cried out in surprise as they were forcefully yanked out of the booth and tossed to the floor.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Missy taunted as she took a seat, "Now get lost, both of you." Alexis and Lynn looked up at the two older girls who stood over them. They threateningly popped their knuckles as they took up the remaining seats in the booth. Lynn grimaced in anger but Alexis immediately grabbed her arm.

"Let it go Lynn. We're outnumbered here," Alexis whispered. Angrily, Lynn walked away with Alexis on her heels. The three older girls laughed as the two first years walked off. They moved to get back in line. Angry over her mistreatment and not getting to enjoy lunch with her friends, the rest of the day didn't go nearly as smoothly. As Alexis and Lynn were on their way out the door, hoots and hollers could be heard from behind. Catcalls and whistles filled the halls as six girls ran into the main hall. Wet and naked, they scrambled to cover themselves as they ran towards the double doors out of the building. To the horror of Lynn and Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine were among the victims.

"What happened?" Alexis asked, handing her blazer to Mindy. Jasmine gratefully took Lynn's as the two blonds shielded the girls from view and led them towards the doors out of the building.

"We just had finished gym class and were showering off when the hot water went cold and the lights went out. We were going to call out but somebody shoved us out of the room and locked the door on us," Jasmine explained.

"Any idea who it was?" Lynn pressed.

"No clue. It was dark. There were screams. We were just trying to get out," Mindy sighed. One girl's laughter in particular rung out as the girls reached the doors. Looking back, Lynn saw Missy and her two friends at the forefront laughing haughtily. Lynn and Missy's eyes locked and Missy smiled cruelly.

"I might," Lynn mumbled as she led her friends out back to Obelisk Blue. Clear of the school, the four friends walked hastily home. As the day came to an end and her friends safe in their rooms, Lynn collapsed into bed while her duel spirit watched over her.

"Feeling tired mistress?" Valkyria asked.

"Yeah. I'm starting to think you were right. I shouldn't have used my telekinesis," Lynn groaned tiredly.

"Using your gifts to get a leg up in a tennis match was an irresponsible use of your powers," Valkyria chastised, "If your honored mother saw that today…"

"But she's not here Valkyria… I have to look out for myself out here," Lynn reminded her.

"Looking out is one thing but what you did today was irresponsible," Valkyria continued, "Your abuse of your gifts is what led to _that_ happening." Lynn's eyes widened in surprise as she stared up at her spirit.

"I thought we agreed not to mention that incident when I came to Duel Academy. The whole idea of coming to school was to get away from the past and further myself as a duelist," Lynn said.

"Except you _are_ abusing your gifts. You used your telepathy today to win a tennis match. How's that not abuse?" Valkyria argued, hovering close to Lynn, "I understand that Missy's bullying frustrates you. She bullies you and your friends. That doesn't give you the excuse to hurt her."

"It's more than that Valkyria. She's been tormenting all the first-year students since the year started. What's worse is that I think she's responsible for the shower incident this afternoon," Lynn groused, "She looked right at me right after Alexis and I got Mindy and Jasmine out of there."

"An act of revenge? You really think she'd commit a prank against your friends to get to you?" Valkyria asked.

"Missy strikes me as the kind of girl who'd do anything to stay on top," Lynn scoffed as she pulled herself under the covers.

"So, what are you going to do about it? If she's responsible, she's not going to own up to it if you ask directly. More likely, she'll keep right on doing what she's doing – Making you and your friends miserable," Valkyria sighed, "This cycle of bullying has to stop with one of you."

"I think I know how to stop it and I won't need my gifts to do it," Lynn said as she turned out the lights.

The next day at lunch, Lynn arrived from class with duel disk in hand. Valkyria floated at her side as Lynn looked around the for the crimson-haired bully.

"You really think this plan of yours will work? What if she doesn't accept your challenge?" Valkyria asked.

"She will. She's too much of an alpha female to not accept it," Lynn assured her as she spotted Missy coming out of the lunch line.

"Hey Lynn! What are you doing with your duel disk?" A voice chimed. Turning to the source, Lynn saw Alexis with Mindy and Jasmine at her sides.

"Not much. Just looking to settle a score," Lynn said nonchalantly as she refocused her attention on Missy. The older girl had gone to the second-floor booth and had barely sat down when Lynn approached. The older girl was currently alone and was about to dig into her meal when Lynn took a seat opposite her.

"Hey freshman, this isn't your seat. Get lost," Missy hissed.

"Not yet it's not," Lynn said back, "I'm tired of you picking on my friends and I'm definitely tired of the pranks you keep pulling on the first-years."

"I don't care what you think," Missy said dismissively, "As far as I'm concerned, you're nothing more than a doll I can throw around however I choose."

"That's going to change right here, right now," Lynn countered, holding up her duel disk, "We're going to settle this the Duel Academy way… With a duel. If I win, you leave my friends alone." Missy leaned forward, her expression of mix of curiosity and anger.

"You're going to duel me? Why would I want to do something as ridiculous as that? What's in it for me?" Missy countered.

"I'm going to offer you the only thing you seem to want – Me. You like having servants around you," Lynn noticed, her gaze going down to the two girls who travelled with Missy downstairs, "If I win, I'll be your personal servant for the rest of the semester." Lynn's three friends gasped in surprise at their friend's offer.

"Uh Lynn, are you sure that's a good idea?" Alexis asked nervously.

"Really? You'd offer yourself to me? I can do whatever I want to you? No complaints?" Missy asked, intrigued by the proposition.

"Whatever you want," Lynn promised, "But only if you win."

"It's a deal," Missy agreed, holding out her hand. Lynn shook it.

"Right. Let's get started," Lynn said with finality. Missy stood up as one of her friends handed her a duel disk. The students gathered around on the upper balcony as the two Obelisks went downstairs and stood opposite each other. At the forefront of the balcony, Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine were joined by Jaden and Syrus.

"Hey Lex. What's up?" Jaden asked.

"Just a little duel with dinner," Alexis remarked. Looking over the balcony, Jaden looked over the fence and saw Lynn standing opposite Missy.

"Wait! Lynn's going to duel Missy?" Jaden guessed, "Why?"

"Lynn's trying to stand up to her. If she wins this duel, Missy's promised to stop bullying the first-years," Jasmine explained.

"But what if Lynn loses?" Syrus frowned.

"She becomes Missy's personal servant for the rest of term," Mindy choked.

"Seriously? What's she thinking?" Jaden grimaced, completely surprised by the girl's proposal.

"I'm thinking… She wants to stop her," Alexis replied calmly, her gaze now on Lynn's determined face.

"Duel!"

 **Lynn's LP: 4000**

 **Missy's LP: 4000**

"The first move is mine. I'll set a card and one monster facedown. That'll do for now," Lynn announced as her two cards materialized on the field.

"That's all? I summon Soldier Bee in attack mode!" Missy countered as a yellow-black striped armored monster appeared on her field. Hovering in air using the wings on its back, it carried a sword and a black spear shaped like a stinger (ATK: 1500).

"Now Soldier Bee! Attack her facedown monster!" Missy ordered. A loud buzzing noise emitted from her monster as it hovered over to Lynn's field and stabbed her facedown card. The card flipped up, briefly revealing a purple-robed human. Its hood resembled that of a bunny and it cowered in fear as it was destroyed.

"What a coward! I can't believe you threw that weakling out," Missy grinned.

"That weakling as you call him was Lost Legend Ravio (DEF: 100). When he's flipped face up, his flip effect activates. He lets me add an equip spell from my deck to my hand as long as I show it to you first," Lynn explained as a card ejected from her deck, "The card I chose is the Great Eagle Bow."

"So what if you got a new bow? You have no monster to use it with," Missy reminded her as Lynn's trap flipped up, showing a group of warriors in blue surrounded, disheveled but still looking to fight.

"Not yet I don't. I have my other facedown card!" Lynn argued back as another card popped out of her deck and to her hand, "It's a trap called Lost Legend Resolve. When a Lost Legend is destroyed in battle, I can add another Lost Legend from my deck to my hand. I'll choose my Lost Legend Teba."

"Whatever. I'll end my turn with a facedown," Missy concluded, _your open gambit won't be worth squat with the facedown card I just threw down._

"Then it's my turn and I summon Lost Legend Teba in attack mode," Lynn announced as a white-humanoid bird monster appeared. It stood proudly on its two talons, a triangular sword sheathed on its back. Garbed in leather armor, it let out a battle cry reminiscent of a hawk (ATK: 1400).

"Then I'll outfit him with my Great Eagle Bow equip spell." Lynn continued as a yellow ornate bow appeared in her new monster's hand.

"Sorry hon. You're not going to get to take advantage of it. I play my facedown trap card, Stinger Shot!" Missy countered. Her Soldier Bee hovered into the air and pointed its sword at Lynn's monster. The tip of the blade fired out and struck the bow, shattering it into pieces before disappearing.

"Stinger Shot is a trap card that reduces my monster's attack by 500 but in exchange, it destroys the last spell you played," Missy explained.

Soldier Bee ATK: 1500-1000

"That move still allows me to attack your monster! Teba, destroy her Soldier Bee! Skyward swoop!" Lynn ordered. Her warrior jumped to the air and whipped out a triangular sword just as Missy's monster joined it in the sky. Teba and the Soldier Bee dove at each and swung their weapons. They both landed on the ground, frozen in position. To Lynn's surprise, _both_ monsters fell to their knees before hitting the ground and exploding.

"What just happened? Teba was stronger than the Soldier Bee. Why'd it go boom?" Mindy asked as the damage from the battle set in.

 **Missy's LP: 4000-3600**

"You freshman amateur. When Soldier Bee is destroyed in battle, it removes both of our monsters from the game," Missy cackled, "Well as long as I'm willing to pay 500 life points that is."

 **Missy's LP: 3600-3100**

"Your trap and flip effect monster combo was obvious. You might as well have texted me your play," Missy giggled.

"…I'll end with a facedown," Lynn groused as a single card materialized on her field, _so much for my opening move with my new deck._

"Time to teach you how a _real_ duelist fights. I summon Pinch Hopper in attack mode!" Missy announced as a green grasshopper-like bug appeared on Missy's field (ATK: 1000), "Then I'll release it to activate my spell card Multiplication of Ants. This spell allows me to summon two Army Ant tokens." The grasshopper vanished and in their place came a pair of massive army ants (ATK: 500 X 2).

"Two tokens huh? Their combined attack power isn't any higher than Pinch Hopper's," Jaden remarked.

"It's not the ants Lynn needs to worry about. When Pinch Hopper goes to the graveyard, Missy can summon any insect monster from her hand," Mindy explained frightfully.

"Any monster?" Jaden asked.

"Now that Pinch Hopper's gone his effect lets me special summon from my hand Insect Princess!" Missy announced as a new monster appeared between her two hands. The monster was a yellow humanoid monster with rainbow glowered butterfly wings on its back (ATK: 1900).

"Now that I have my monsters ready, I'll attack you directly with all three of them," Missy cackled as her two ants scurried towards her opponent. The ants split off the to the sides and got directly behind Lynn as Insect Princess began to flap her wings furiously. A fearsome gust of wind blew Lynn off her feet and towards the two ants. Both tackled her as she passed by, sending her into a spin that had her hitting the floor hard.

 **Lynn's LP: 4000-1100**

"How's the floor taste hon? Better get used to it because you'll be kissing it a lot when you become my servant," Missy laughed as her turn ended. Lynn picked herself up off the ground and drew a card.

"You'll be kissing your victory goodbye soon enough. I summon Lost Legend Saria (ATK: 1500)!" Lynn growled as her green-clad sage came out onto the field, "Next I'll activate her special ability. I draw one card and if it's a level four monster, I can special summon it." Lynn drew her card and frowned as she held it up. It depicted a dark-skinned desert woman scantily clad in blue and gold clothing. Her fiery red hair was held back by a gold and black headband.

"Lost Legend Urbosa huh? Too bad for you. She's level seven," Missy remarked as Lynn put the card in her hand, "If you could've summoned her, she _might've_ posed a threat to me."

"Just because I can't summon her with Saria's effect doesn't mean I can't summon her this turn. I activate the spell card Lost Legacy Revival. With this, I release a Lost Legend and replace it with a Lost Champion of the same attribute!" Lynn countered as Saria vanished and the desert warrior appeared in her place, "and the monster I'll choose is Lost Champion Urbosa (ATK: 2000)!" The champion's arrival on the field made Missy flinch in surprise as a black sphere with lights orbiting it appeared right behind her.

"And the fun doesn't stop there! I reveal my facedown card, Pitch-Black Power Stone. This trap generates three spell counters I can move around once per turn. I'll move one onto Urbosa!" Lynn explained as one of the spell counters shuffled into Urbosa's possession, "With a spell counter equipped to Urbosa, her special ability activates. She gains 300 attack points for every spell counter in her possession."

Lost Champion Urbosa ATK: 2000-2300 / Spell Counters: 0-1

"It's time! Urbosa, destroy one of the Army Ant Tokens! Lightning magic blast!" Lynn commanded. Lightning crackled dangerously around the desert warrior as the power coalesced into a sphere of lightning that appeared in her hands. Thrusting both arms forward, the sphere rocketed away from her and exploded violently against one of the army ants. Missy shielded her face as the shockwave knocked her back several feet.

 **Missy's LP: 3100-1300**

"Now for Urbosa's other effect. When she inflicts damage in battle, she gains another spell counter and 300 more attack points!" Lynn explained as her monster grew stronger.

Lost Champion Urbosa ATK: 2300-2600 / Spell Counters: 1-2

"I'll end my turn with another facedown," Lynn concluded as a new card appeared on her field.

"My turn then and I'll start off with Pot of Greed. It'll let me draw two cards. Then I'll sacrifice my remaining Army Ant Token to activate the equip spell Attack Pheromone! This raises my Insect Princess's attack points by 1000!" Missy declared. Her ant turned into a green mist that empowered the princess with new found energy.

Insect Princess ATK: 1900-2900

"Uh oh! That's big trouble for Lynn." Syrus frowned fearfully.

"Insect Princess! Destroy Urbosa! Pheromone fury!" Missy ordered. The antennae of the butterfly monster glistened with power as the creature prepared to attack. Lynn's facedown then flipped up, its trap image depicting Urbosa surrounded by lightning.

"I don't think so! I activate my trap card, Champion's Art – Urbosa's Fury! This trap card inflicts 300 points of damage for each monster you have on your field," Lynn interrupted as her facedown card opened. Urbosa smirked as she raised a single hand and snapped her fingers. A bolt of lightning dropped out of the blue and struck Missy.

 **Missy's LP: 1300-1000**

"There's also one more thing you should know. My trap also gives Urbosa a spell counter for every 300 points of damage you sustained. You took 300 points of damage so Urbosa gains another spell counter and 300 attack points!" Lynn continued as her monster channeled another sphere of lightning, "And that'll be enough to take on your princess!"

Lost Champion Urbosa ATK: 2600-2900 / Spell Counters: 2-3

The two female monsters roared out in anger as they launched their blasts towards each other. The two struggled in a brief tug of war as one attempted to overwhelm the other. Eventually, both monsters gave out as a fiery explosion consumed both monsters and left both girls with no monsters.

"Ha! Consider your princess dethroned Missy," Jaden laughed from the balcony.

"It's not over. My Princess may be gone but Attack Pheromone's effect still remains. When the monster equipped with it is destroyed, I can special summon a level four or lower insect from my graveyard! I'll choose my Pinch Hopper," Missy countered as her grasshopper returned (ATK: 1000), "And since my battle phase isn't over, I'll attack you directly with it!" The grasshopper chirped noisily as it created a high-pitched shockwave that made everyone cringe. Lynn plugged her ears as the damage settled in.

 **Lynn's LP: 1100-100**

"And my turn's not over yet! I'll play Eradicating Aerosol! This'll destroy my Pinch Hopper and in exchange, I can summon another high-powered insect from my hand," Missy explained as a can of spray appeared and destroyed her monster, "And the monster I choose is the Insect Princess's mother, the Insect Queen!" From Pinch Hopper's remains emerged a massive spider-like monster with red armor and a blue exoskeleton. Its legs and head were bright yellow and it roared loudly showing rows of razor sharp fangs (ATK: 2200).

"Insect Queen gains 200 attack points for every insect on the field including itself," Missy explained as her turn ended, "You might as well surrender. You have nothing on the field to stand up to my Insect Queen."

Insect Queen ATK: 2200-2400

"This isn't over. I'll set a monster and end my turn," Lynn said as a new monster appeared facedown on her field.

"This isn't good. Lynn's in trouble if she doesn't get a stronger monster on the field," Syrus frowned.

"Syrus, Missy's the one in trouble. Insect Queen is powerful but without a sacrifice, it can't attack," Alexis explained.

"Hmm. She's using the card but she's not playing it," Another voice agreed. The first-years blinked in surprise as Zane joined them at the front of the crowd.

 _Playing it?_ Syrus wondered, "What do you mean big bro?"

"Insect Queen is powerful but Missy's deck isn't built to play it properly. If she were smart, she wouldn't have called it out until she was able to actually play it," Zane said sagely.

"I'm still not understanding what you mean," Syrus frowned.

"I do. Just keep watching Sy," Jaden assured him.

"It's my turn! I draw," Missy grinned. Flipping over the top card, she winced.

"I pass this turn. There's nothing I can do," Missy sighed.

"Nothing she can do?" Syrus echoed.

"See now? Missy just threw out that card without thinking about how to play it. Without a strategy to use the card with, that card is nothing more than a dead draw," Zane explained.

"Yeah, Missy's deck isn't built to fully use that queen's power," Jaden added, "It gives Lynn a fighting chance."

"It's time to end this. I flip up my facedown monster, Magical Undertaker!" Lynn announced as her monster revealed itself. From the card came a purple tuxedoed midget with a black fedora and red cape. Its face was concealed by glasses and a black mask (ATK: 400).

"Now for his special ability! He can revive any level four or below spellcaster from my graveyard! I choose my Lost Legend Saria," Lynn said as her forest sage reappeared on the field (ATK: 1500), "But she won't be around for long as I'm going to release both monsters to summon a new champion!" Both monsters vanished in swirls of light and from it came a green skinned woman with long orange hair decorated with a gold tiara. Intricately-decorated black robes were draped around her shoulders and she walked barefoot (ATK: 2500).

"Meet the Lost Champion Midna!" Lynn announced.

"Midna? That's the best you've got? Fat lot of good she's going to do you. If she destroys my queen, I'll only take 100 points of damage," Missy pointed out.

"Whoever said I was going to attack your queen with Midna? I just need her to help me activate a spell card," Lynn said as a spell materialized next to her monster. The image was that of a golden medallion with a spiral pattern surrounded in flames.

"Whew. That'll do it," Zane whistled.

"What is that spell Zane?" Syrus asked.

"It's Bombos Medallion. You can use it with any spellcaster level five or higher. For each spellcaster you have, you can destroy one card on your opponent's field," Zane explained as pillars of fire began to erupt in sequence around Missy's field. The flames coalesced around her queen as it cried out in agony and was destroyed.

"No, my Queen! That leaves me defenseless!" Missy gasped in alarm as Midna summoned a circular mirror.

"I know and now Midna, attack her life points directly!" Lynn ordered, "Twilight refraction!" Holding the mirror over her head, black light gathered within it. Hexagrams within turned white with light as Midna cast a beam over Missy. The older girl screamed out as the light consumed the last of her life points.

 **Missy's LP: 1000-0**

"Alright! What an awesome duel!" Syrus cheered as the holograms faded away.

"Game's over. Now you lay off my friends like you promised," Lynn said to Missy. Missy stood up and glared hatefully at the blond freshman.

"You must've mistaken me for someone who keeps their word," Missy growled.

"What?" Lynn blinked in surprise, "But we had a deal."

"Why would I listen to a freshman like you? I'll do what I want, when I want," Missy hissed, popping her knuckles threateningly, "That includes you... Starting right now…" Lynn swallowed nervously as Missy's two friends materialized behind her. Lynn turned to face them and was quickly surprised as two members of the Disciplinary Action Squad seized the girls.

"Oh really? I don't think you will," A new voice butted in. The two girls turned and saw Dr. Stratton walked up to them, flanked by two members of the Disciplinary Action Squad.

"Dr. Stratton! I…" Missy began.

"You're done bullying people Missy. A security camera in the hallway caught you and your friends messing with the lights and the hot water in the locker room yesterday," Dr. Stratton explained as the two members moved towards Missy.

"Oh, come on! That was a harmless prank! No one was hurt," Missy protested as the two disciplinarians seized her.

"I disagree. This school has a strict, no-tolerance policy on bullying," Dr. Stratton reminded her, "Couple your abuse of the freshmen and that prank for yesterday, you are in a lot of trouble Missy. I would advise you to save your defense for the discipline board." Missy sighed in defeat as the DAS hauled and her friends off. Dr. Stratton gave Lynn a brief smile and nod before walking off. Lynn turned to her girlfriends and high-fived them.

"Whew! What a gal! You took her down a peg or two!" Mindy cheered.

"Or 4000 life points," Lynn grinned as the crowd dispersed.

"It was lucky Dr. Stratton showed up with the DAS. Otherwise that would've been ugly," Jasmine frowned.

"Oh, it wasn't luck. I kind of tipped off Dr. Stratton before engaging Missy in that duel," Lynn admitted modestly, "Just in case she didn't keep to her word."

"Or in case you lost. That was some pretty good thinking Lynn," Alexis praised. Lynn nodded. Looking up to the balcony, she saw Zane standing there with Syrus. When their gazes met, he smiled slightly before walking off.

 _Guess that means my new deck has Zane's approval._ Lynn thought hopefully as she loaded it back into her case, "Well that's the end of that. Who's up for lunch?" It was then the lunch bell rang.

"OK everyone, five-minute warning!" Ms. Dorothy announced, "Finish what you're eating and get to class OK?" Lynn winced at the announcement.

"Five minutes?! Maybe I shouldn't have challenged Missy at lunchtime," Lynn sighed. The girls shared a laugh as their friend ran to get in line for leftovers.


	9. Family Business

Another weekend dawned brightly on Duel Academy. With the judgment duel fast approaching, Jaden and Syrus were running out of time to prepare. Over near the cliffs behind the Slifer dorm, the two boys were presently locked in a duel with Atsuko and Lynn. Smoke was settling on the boys' field as their last monster was destroyed and the girls' sole monster, Lost Champion Urbosa stood poised for attack.

"There goes your defense! Now Urbosa, attack the boys directly!" Lynn ordered. Her desert warrior smirked as she raised her hand and snapped her fingers. A bolt of lightning shot out of the blue and struck both boys, depleting their life points.

 **Jaden and Syrus' LP: 1200-0**

"That's game," Lynn said happily as the warrior faded away, "Up for another round?"

"Aw come on! We've dueled six times and lost six times. How about a break?" Syrus whined. Atsuko pulled out her PDA and looked at the time.

"We've been at this for about two hours Syrus-kun and your duel is Monday. We've got today and tomorrow to prepare. You need to step up your game," Atsuko pointed out.

"She's right. You two have gotten a lot better lately, especially with the changes to your decks, but if you two can't beat us, there's no way you're going to stand up to whoever Dr. Stratton is selecting for your punishment duel," Lynn agreed as she shuffled her deck, "Come on. Let's make some quick tweaks and then get back to work." Syrus wilted but Jaden grinned at the prospect of more dueling.

"Sure, let's try…" Jaden agreed when a commotion near the dorm got their attention.

"What's up with the racket?" Lynn wondered. Curious, the four friends walked over to the dorm and saw multiple Slifers gathering around Professor Banner's door. The friends peeked in and saw their teacher speaking with a tall, tanned man in a white tank top and pants. His body bulged with muscle and his eyes were nearly black as pitch with a hair style was reminiscent of Chumley's.

"Who's the old guy?" Jaden wondered.

"He's Chumley's old man," One of the Slifers explained.

"That's his dad?" Lynn asked.

"He looks like a bodybuilder," Syrus noted.

"To carry Chumley, you'd kind of have to be," Jaden agreed. Moving closer, the four friends could hear the conversation between the two men.

"…Don't get me wrong. If Chumley was any good at dueling, it would be a different story but he's clearly wasting his time here. He's failed the first year and had to repeat it at least once. He's disgracing himself and your school by remaining here," Mr. Huffington said boldly, pounding his fist on the table, "that's why I want him to come home and take up the family business. The hot sauce business! You do like hot sauce, don't you?"

"Uh yes, I do. I can't get enough of it," Professor Banner replied modestly. Mr. Huffington then pulled out a massive wrapped bottle and placed it on the table.

"Here, a free sample," Mr. Huffington insisted.

"Oh no. I couldn't possibly," Professor Banner protested.

"Nonsense! Just think of it as a goodbye gift from Chumley and me," Mr. Huffington insisted. Lynn and her friends stepped back and gathered into a huddle.

"I can't believe Chumley's being forced to leave with this guy," Lynn frowned.

"Not if we can help it. He's our roommate and our friend. Let's go see him and see if we can help," Jaden insisted. The foursome went upstairs and were surprised to see him sitting on the floor with a suitcase, his clothes in a pile next to him. He hiccupped with sadness as he worked to pack up his suitcase.

"Hey Chum! What are you doing?" Syrus asked.

"What's it look like? I'm packing," Chumley sobbed, "My old man's here. He's taking me home."

"It's true? You're really leaving us?" Atsuko gasped, "But your education… Surely you'd like to stay?"

"Yeah. What about your dueling goals? Your hopes and dreams? You're really going to give up on them?" Jaden asked, taking a seat next to him.

"I'm no good as a duelist. At least according to my Dad," Chumley whimpered.

"There must be some way you can convince him to let you stay," Lynn frowned, stroking her chin in thought.

"But what could I say? Everything is hot sauce to him! He doesn't care about what I think. He doesn't even know that I could be a champion duelist if I really tried," Chumley explained, "Sometimes during a duel, duel monsters speak to me." Lynn blinked in surprise, the rest of her friends were showing signs of skepticism. Lynn looked to the side and saw Valkyria appear.

"Really? You can hear duel monsters' spirits?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah, of course I can hear them," Chumley insisted.

"Does that mean he can hear me?" Valkyria added, "And see me too?" Chumley had turned to look at Lynn but he gave no reaction to Valkyria whatsoever.

"Apparently now," Lynn mumbled. Atsuko kneeled next to her tubby friend and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Chumley-kun, hearing voices… Well, people might think you were crazy to say things like that," Atsuko cautioned.

"But it's true!" Chumley protested again, jumping to his feet.

"Easy Chum. We believe you, don't we guys?" Jaden asked around. The group nodded but Valkyria crossed her arms in frustration.

"Why can't he hear my voice?" Valkyria wondered as she faded away.

"Why not talk to Sheppard-san? See if you can negotiate a way for you to remain with us instead?" Atsuko proposed.

"That's a good idea. Let's pay him a visit," Jaden agreed, getting to his feet. Reluctantly, the Slifers left the dorm and went to Chancellor Sheppard's office. To their surprise, Mr. Huffington had beaten them there and was waiting for them with the chancellor and Miss Stratton sitting nearby.

"Something I can do for you?" Chancellor Sheppard asked.

"Yeah. We don't want Chumley to be forced to leave," Lynn said.

"Yeah, I want to stay here at Duel Academy," Chumley insisted.

"Oh really? Your poor grades would say otherwise son," Mr. Huffington sniffed with disgust, "I've been talking to your teachers. You barely go out of your room, let alone attend class. You're clearly wasting your time and mine, not mention dishonoring the family name." Chumley's confidence was quickly disappearing with each of his father words.

"Now hold on here. I know grades matter to you but Chumley's got a gift. He can hear Duel Monster spirits. That makes him special," Jaden explained, "With a gift like that, you can't expect Chumley to leave." Lynn inwardly winced at Jaden's words.

 _And here comes the sarcasm._ Lynn frowned.

"Ha! The only gift my boy has is to scarf down grilled cheese. You really expect me to buy this load of junk? Spirits don't exist," Mr. Huffington frowned, "And hearing voices? I think you're just going crazy boy. Not that I blame you…" Chumley frowned in sadness. The two girls stood protectively in front of him.

"Oh yeah? You want to know what I think of _you_?" Atsuko hissed angrily, raising her hand threateningly.

"Hold it everyone. Look, I respect you coming to the defense of your friend. However, this is business between Mr. Huffington and Chumley. I'm afraid I can't have the rest of you getting involved," Chancellor Sheppard frowned. The students frowned at the idea of being snubbed.

"Chancellor Sheppard is right children. Mr. Huffington is well within his rights to take his son home," Miss Stratton agreed, "And I believe it to be a wise decision. The school has no room for those who have no desire to better themselves."

"Oh yeah? Well how about Chumley duels for the right to stay?" Jaden proposed. Everyone in the room looked at him with mixed looks. The adults had surprise but his friends had a mix of pride and panic. Chumley however was frowning even further, if it was even possible.

"Jaden, I don't think you understand the situation properly," Miss Stratton replied.

"No, hold on. The boy's on to something. If Chumley really wants to stay, I think a father-to-son showdown's the perfect way to settle this," Mr. Huffington agreed, "What do you say to that?"

"I think you're on!" Chumley agreed.

"Excellent! We'll duel first thing tomorrow. That OK with you Chancellor?" Mr. Huffington asked.

"That's fine. Tomorrow morning it will be decided. Will Chumley stay or go?" Chancellor Sheppard agreed.

 **Chapter Nine: Family Business**

With the meeting at an end, Jaden and the others were walking out of the academy building with Professor Banner having joined them.

"See guys? I think that went pretty well," Jaden remarked, "Chumley's not going anywhere."

"Uh correction: Chumley agreed to a duel to stay at school," Lynn corrected, "Nothing is set in stone yet."

"Yeah Jaden, he still has to win the duel if he's going to stay," Syrus pointed out.

"That's no big deal. Chumley's dad isn't a duelist. He's an amateur," Jaden grinned, "Am I right?"

"Actually Jaden, he's a state champion three years running," Professor Banner corrected. The students stopped in their tracks at this information.

"State champion sensei?" Atsuko asked.

"Why do you think Chumley's dad insisted he come to dueling school? He wants Chumley to be like him," Professor Banner smiled back, "And wait until you see his deck. As you know, Chumley's father makes a living making his special hot sauce. His deck mirrors the kick of the sauce. Just like biting in a chicken wing can take you out in one bite, his deck can take out an opponent in just one turn."

"One turn…" Lynn trailed off.

"Oh and the morning after…" Professor Banner sighed.

"And Chumley challenged his dad knowing that?" Jaden wondered in bewilderment, looking to his friend. Chumley turned to him and for the first time since knowing him, the tubby boy had a look of fierce determination on his face. "Chumley, you must really want to stay here," Jaden said, throwing an arm around his shoulder, "Come on! Let's grab your deck and work out a strategy so you can win that duel." Professor Banner smiled as the Slifers guided their friend back to the dorm. Lynn lingered behind slightly as Valkyria appeared next to her.

"I don't see how a gift for hearing spirits can help him win. Especially if he can't hear _me_ ," Valkyria remarked.

"Yeah. If Chumley does have the gift for hearing spirits, it's underdeveloped," Lynn agreed quietly.

"Or maybe he's just crazy?" Valkyria proposed.

"He doesn't strike me as crazy. Lazy yes, but crazy? No," Lynn said, ending the matter, "We'd better help him and then get back to the original matter we were working on."

"Yes, Jaden and Syrus's tag duel. Let's settle this and get back to it milady. Your friends are running out of time," Valkyria agreed as she vanished. The spirit gone, Lynn quickly caught up to her friends.

"OK guys. So what's the plan then? Fine tune Chumley's deck and then back to practice?" Lynn asked.

"Practice?" Syrus asked back.

"Yeah. In case you forgot, Chumley's not the only duelist set to leave school," Lynn reminded them, "You have a punishment duel the day after tomorrow and we don't even know who you're dueling."

"That _is_ a problem but Chumley is the one in need of help sooner. I advise we help him first," Atsuko proposed, "Once he has had a chance to beat his tou-san, we shall return to helping Jaden and Syrus-kun."

"I just hope we're not wasting our time," Lynn mumbled as she entered the dorm. The hours ticked by as the group struggled to help Chumley with his deck. Before they knew it, morning quickly dawned. Sitting barefoot in the dojo that served as Slifer Red's practice room, Atsuko, Lynn, Jaden and Syrus sat by Professor Banner, who was serving as the referee. On opposite sides of the room, Chumley stood facing his dad, both armed with academy duel disks.

"Just as a reminder, the conditions of the duel are as follows. If Chumley wins the duel, he gets to remain at school. If Mr. Huffington wins, Chumley goes home and helps with his father's hot sauce business," Professor Banner reminded the two duelists, "Are both of you in agreement with this?"

"Of course. A real man doesn't back out on his word," Mr. Huffington agreed eagerly.

"I feel like I'm ready for anything," Chumley agreed back, "Let's do this."

"Then it is agreed. Without further ado, let us begin the duel gentlemen," Professor Banner announced. The two duel disks activated as both players drew their opening hands.

"Duel!"

 **Chumley's LP: 4000**

 **Mr. Huffington's LP: 4000**

Looking into his opening hand, Chumley grinned immediately. "Here I come! For my first move, I summon Des Koala in attack mode!" Chumley announced as a brown koala appeared on his field, a single leaf in its mouth (ATK: 1100).

"In attack mode?" Jaden and Atsuko echoed in shock.

"Uh, is that a bad move?" Syrus asked.

"Yup, a seriously bad move," Lynn agreed.

"What were you thinking? Don't you know if you set Des Koala first then flip him up later you can inflict 400 points of damage for each card in my hand?" Mr. Huffington asked, holding up his hand.

"Well duh, at least now I do," Chumley wilted as his turn ended.

"You see? You should've taken your studies more seriously. Maybe now you'll learn," Mr. Huffington chastised as he drew a card. Looking at his hand, he grinned ferociously.

"Look closely now children. You could learn something here," Professor Banner whispered to his students.

"Seeing as how he's a state champ, I don't doubt it," Jaden agreed.

"I just hope it's not the one-turn finisher he's known for," Lynn swallowed nervously.

"Alright, here I come! I summon Dizzy Tiger in attack mode," Mr. Huffington announced as a white blur jumped out from behind and landed in front of him. It was a tiger monster who stood on two legs. It wore sunglasses, a white tank top and pants but surprisingly, it stumbled about clutching a jade beer bottle (ATK: 1800).

"Dizzy Tiger? Uh, why's it dizzy?" Lynn wondered.

"I think it's had too much hot sauce," Syrus frowned as the tiger let out a loud belch.

"Dizzy Tiger attack! Hot sauce slash!" Mr. Huffington announced, throwing a fist forward. The tiger roared as it leapt forward clumsily. It landed just close enough to Chumley's monster and managed to rake its free claw across its face, destroying it. As the koala vanished, it left behind a pink mist that made the students immediately want to retch.

 **Chumley's LP: 4000-3300**

"Yuck! That's hot sauce alright," Chumley choked.

"That move stinks," Jaden grimaced.

"But his attack sure didn't," Syrus added.

"I end my turn. Let's see what you've got boy," Mr. Huffington concluded.

"Alright. My turn now," Chumley said to himself as he drew a card. He had drawn another Des Koala. Looking into hand, a plan formed immediately. "Let's try this out then… I play the spell card Koala March! With it, I can special summon any koala from the graveyard as long as its level four or less. I choose my Des Koala!" Chumley said as his koala reappeared on his field (ATK: 1100).

"Look guys. Chumley's got his koala back," Syrus said.

"Let's just hope he plays it better this time than last time," Lynn added.

"Not it. _Them_. When Koala March is played, you can summon another koala from your hand if you have one that is the same as the one you summoned from your graveyard. If I know Chumley, he's got another ready," Professor Banner explained as a twin appeared on Chumley's field (ATK: 1100).

"I summon another Des Koala in attack mode. Now I'll sacrifice them both and advance summon my Big Koala," Chumley announced as both bears vanished and replaced a with a gigantic blue koala (ATK: 2700).

"That giant better look out. Chumley-kun is loaded for bear," Atsuko quipped. Lynn and Jaden grinned as the koala crawled quickly towards Mr. Huffington's tiger.

"Alright Big Koala! Show that tiger who's top of the food chain! Beatdown from down under!" Chumley ordered. The koala reached over and grabbed the tiger. It picked it up and slammed it into the floor destroying it.

 **Mr. Huffington's LP: 4000-3100**

"Alright, I end my turn," Chumley concluded, "what do you think of that Dad?"

"Not bad son but this is far from over," Mr. Huffington said as he slapped another card on his duel disk, "I call Dizzy Angel!" A column of light erupted on his field and from it came a blond angel monster in a white tuxedo and hat. It carried a bottle in hand and was giggling and stumbling around as if drunk (ATK: 1800).

"Another weird monster," Syrus noted.

"Somebody's been drinking too much hot sauce," Jaden agreed as the monster began having a case of the hiccups.

"Now I activate the spell card Hot Sauce Bottle," Mr. Huffington said as a brown bottle appeared on his field. The angel gazed at is like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"A hot sauce bottle? What can that do?" Lynn wondered.

"Something tells me we're about to find out," Atsuko frowned.

"Now I activate the continuous spell card Flipping the Table!" Mr. Huffington continued. The students slid back in surprise as a massive table materialized underneath both duelists. Mr. Huffington jumped off of it and grabbed the edge. With a great heave, he flipped the table over and the onlookers watched in horror as the bottle and Chumley's koala were both destroyed.

"Whoa! That was awful," Lynn said.

"Ha what a card! Flipping the Table destroys all cards on my field except itself. Then I'm permitted to destroy the same number of cards on your field," Mr. Huffington explained.

"That card must be his one-strike attack," Syrus guessed.

"Yeah but I'm not sure if I like it," Jaden frowned, "It totally resets the field. It's hardly even fair."

"That's just like you. When you see something you don't like, you trash it!" Chumley shouted angrily.

"Ha! I didn't get to be a business tycoon by playing nice boy. And speaking of playing, I've got a card effect that needs resolving. Since my Hot Sauce Bottle went to the graveyard, its effect activates. When destroyed, you take 500 points of damage," Mr. Huffington explained. A red mist briefly surrounded Chumley as the damage set in.

 **Chumley's LP: 3300-2800**

A cooing noise then got the group's attention as Dizzy Angel fluttered down and began dancing drunken-like. "Hey! Why's angel back? Wasn't it destroyed by Flipping the Table?" Chumley asked.

"Dizzy Angel has a special effect. It can't be destroyed by Flipping the Table," Mr. Huffington explained.

"That's not good," Jaden remarked.

"Dizzy Angel! Attack Chumley directly! Hot sauce sizzler!" Mr. Huffington ordered. The angel cried out as it pointed its bottle at Chumley and a beam of crimson energy struck him. The smell of hot sauce grew worse as the energy left behind another layer of pink mist.

 **Chumley's LP: 2800-1000**

"My turn's over. Now if you want to beat me boy and stay here, you better step up your game," Mr. Huffington cautioned, "Because with my next turn, I'm going to end this." Chumley looked down at his hand and then his deck. Seeing their friend in this situation mad his friends very concerned.

"This is not good. Chumley's in a tight spot," Syrus frowned.

"It's worse than you think Syrus. If Chumley doesn't get rid of that angel, he'll lose on the next turn for sure," Lynn said.

"How do you figure that?" Jaden asked.

"Think about it. When Mr. Huffington uses Flipping the Table again, he can destroy any monster Chumley throws," Lynn frowned, "That'll leave him open to Dizzy Angel's attack." Chumley grimaced as he drew a card. Looking at it, he was surprised.

 _It's Sy's card…_ _And I've got Lynn's in my hand too._ Chumley reflected as his thoughts drifted back to the night before… The five friends had gathered in Jaden's room pouring over Chumley's deck.

"What's with your deck? It's all koala cards," Jaden noticed.

"Koalas are my favorites duh," Chumley admitted.

"Hey don't get me wrong Chum. Koalas are cool but can you win with them?" Jaden asked him. Lynn sifted through the cards and frowned.

"There's not a whole of strategy available with these cards. You don't have much muscle or flexibility," Lynn noted, "Some of these cards have almost no value at all to a duelist."

"Well there aren't a whole of koala cards in the game of Duel Monsters," Chumley frowned.

"Doesn't mean we can't do anything with what you've got. Let's expand your roster with some new spell cards and maybe some beast cards so you can summon stronger monsters quickly," Lynn said as she began looking through her backpack. She pulled out a green binder. Slamming it down on the floor, she flipped it open exposing page after page of spell cards kept in protective sleeves.

"I might have something that can help," Syrus said as he reached into his pocket and extracted a card. Depicted on it was a green kangaroo wearing a vest and red boxing gloves. "I got this awhile back but never use it. I figure if you combine it was your koalas, you can have yourself a deck from down under."

"Down under?" Chumley asked as he took the card.

"Yeah and I got something that'll help," Jaden said pulling out a purple card himself. The card depicted a giant green and yellow koala monster appeared with a lizard-like tail and boxing gloves. It had a black mustache, red boxing shoes and a purple vest. Draped over its shoulder was a champion's belt and weights were stored in its pouch.

"With 4200 attack points, it can pack quite a wallop," Jaden grinned, "And with Syrus's kangaroo and one of your koalas, you'll be able to fusion summon it. It'll be your trump card."

"That'd be lishus except my dad's best card'll wreck in one move," Chumley frowned as he added the cards to his deck.

"His best card…?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah. It's a pretty ugly card," Chumley said, "It destroys any card he wants." Lynn looked into her binder and pulled out a single spell card.

"Maybe we can do something about that…?" Lynn proposed, handing him a card too. Flashing back to the duel, a plan formed in Chumley's hand.

 _Maybe I can use these in a counterattack._ Chumley thought as he reached for one of the other cards in his hand.

"I activate the spell Silent Doom! This spell allows me to revive a normal monster from my graveyard in defense mode. I'll choose my Big Koala (DEF: 2000)," Chumley said as his giant bear returned, "Then I'll play Polymerization! I'll fuse my koala with the Des Kangaroo in my hand to form the Master of Oz!" Syrus' gift monster appeared on the field and immediately flew into a vortex alongside Chumley's koala. When the vortex vanished, Jaden's gift monster appeared on the field (ATK: 4200).

"Master of Oz! Give that angel his last call! Outback attack!" Chumley ordered. Master of Oz drew back its fist and gave the angel a brutal uppercut that slammed it into the back wall before exploding into pixels. Mr. Huffington winced angrily as the attack damage set in.

 **Mr. Huffington's LP: 3100-700**

"Yosh! Just a little more and you've got him," Atsuko cheered.

"I'll finish things up by throwing down a facedown," Chumley concluded as a single card materialized behind his monster. Mr. Huffington drew a card and grinned.

"Well son. You've played a good duel but you're about to lose," Mr. Huffington declared.

"About to lose? Yeah right. Master of Oz has 4200 attack points. Few monsters in the game could match that on their own," Chumley said.

"You forget son. With one flip of the table, your monster will be gone," Mr. Huffington warned, pointing to the active spell on his field.

"Oh yeah? _You_ forget Dad, I know _your_ card's weakness!" Chumley countered angrily. This piqued the interest of the spectators.

"Flipping the Table has a weakness?" Jaden asked.

"That's right. After you use it, you can't summon a monster. After you use it, you'll be defenseless Dad!" Chumley grinned, pointing accusingly at him, "I'll win and you'll lose! Ha!"

"Impressive son. You accurately spotted my card's weakness but that doesn't mean anything if I take you out now. I throw down _two_ Hot Sauce Bottles!" Mr. Huffington announced as he slotted in two spell cards. Two more bottles appeared on his field.

"Wait! If one bottle gets destroyed, Chumley takes 500 points of damage. So if two get destroyed…" Syrus counted on his fingers

"It'll be the end of Chumley," Lynn concluded as her gaze went to his facedown, _unless that facedown card is what I think it is._

"Now I activate the spell card, Flipping the Table!" Mr. Huffington said as he grabbed the edge of the table.

"Hold it right there, Dad! Before your spell takes out my cards, I activate _my_ facedown card, Mystic Wok! This card allows me to send my monster to the graveyard and then I gain life points equal to its attack points!" Chumley countered as both of his cards vanished. A gold aura briefly surrounded Chumley as the spell took effect.

 **Chumley's LP: 1000-5200**

The two bottles on the field shattered next to Chumley and the scent of hot sauce intensified as their damaging effects took effect.

 **Chumley's LP: 5200-4200**

"What a move! Chumley saved himself," Lynn said, "Glad to see my card could help."

"It isn't over yet. You may have avoided my spell's effect and I may not be able to summon this turn but there's something you're overlooking Chumley," Mr. Huffington cautioned, pointing at his son, "Your hand and field are both empty now! If you don't draw a monster next turn, you ain't got a chance of winning." Chumley swallowed nervously as his gaze went down to his deck and his empty field.

"Oh man! Mr. Huffington's right. Chumley's top decking now," Syrus said fearfully.

"That doesn't mean much. Chumley-kun's life points are overcharged. He can still win. In fact, I know he will win," Atsuko assured him.

"Yeah pal! Get your game on and take this guy down," Jaden cheered. Chumley nodded with confidence

 _OK, time to win my first duel. I just need a monster strong enough to do the job. Come on deck, give me what I need…_ Chumley prayed as he drew a card. He looked at the card and grinned openly.

"Totally lishus! I summon Nimble Momonga in attack mode!" Chumley announced as a tree squirrel-like monster materialized on his field (ATK: 1000), "Attack Dad directly! Skyward tackle!" The squirrel squeaked in rage as it took to the air and tackled Mr. Huffington. The giant man hit the ground on his back as the duel ended.

 **Mr. Huffington's LP: 700-0**

"Alright! Chumley won! What an awesome comeback!" Syrus cheered as the holograms faded. Mr. Huffington groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head.

"Ha! Well what do you know? I guess you're better than I thought," Mr. Huffington admitted as his son came up to him, "A deal's a deal. You can stay at Duel Academy."

"Really? Thanks Dad," Chumley said gratefully.

"You know son. You may not have good grades, but you're really lucky to have such good friends," Mr. Huffington pointed out, looking to the students on the sidelines.

"Dad…" Chumley mumbled, "I promise. From now on, I'm going to work even harder. I'll be an even better duelist. I promise." Tears formed in the corners of his eyes as the victor of the duel threw his arms around his dad.

"It's nice to see a happy ending," Syrus sighed contently.

"Yeah it is," Jaden said, bumping fists with Syrus. Lynn nodded in agreement as a wave of sadness filled her.

 _Wish I had a relationship like that with my parents._ Lynn thought, before refocusing her thoughts, "Not to throw cold water on the situation but now that we've helped Chumley, you and Jaden need to get back to training. Your punishment duel is tomorrow and we haven't finished fine-tuning your strategy." The boys groaned, realizing their friend was right.

"Lynn-chan's right. If you don't win tomorrow's duel, _you'll_ be the ones going home," Atsuko agreed.

"Then let's not waste any time. It wouldn't do for you two to help Chumley stay when you two have to leave," Lynn added as she got up. The boys nodded in agreement. Chumley heard the discussion and his gaze switched between his dad and friends.

"Dad. I have to go," Chumley said, "My friends helped me. Now I have to help them."

"I understand son. Go on," Mr. Huffington agreed as the hug ended. Reluctantly, Chumley threw on his shoes and joined his friends. The boys and Atsuko quickly hurried out, Lynn being the last student to leave. Mr. Huffington frowned as he briefly made eye contact with Lynn before she left.

 _Strange… I could've sworn I've seen that girl before somewhere…_ Mr. Huffington thought as he got up from the floor to head for home. Outside, Jaden and Syrus pulled out their decks as Atsuko and Lynn readied their own.

"You know Jay. I've been thinking," Syrus said, "If Chum can take on his dad and beat him, there's little stopping us from beating whoever Dr. Stratton's picking to duel us." Jaden smiled as his smaller friend.

 _Sounds like Chum's not the only one who won something today. Sy's finally found his confidence._ Jaden thought as the two girls readied their duel disks, "Ready pal?"

"Yeah, let's do it," Syrus agreed.

"Alright! Get your game on!" Jaden declared and the practice duel was on.


	10. Tag Team Trial

Far away from the shores of Duel Academy on the outskirts of Domino City was a vast prison for the worst criminals in Japan. For most prisoners, their routine was the same. Be summoned from your cells, eat and then back to their cells until later. For two prisoners today, that routine was about to change. Guards came to their cells and opened them.

"Alright you two, on your feet, hands out," The lead guard ordered. The two men raised their wrists and cuffs were swiftly put on them. Matching shackles were placed on their ankles and a connecting chain limited their movement. Now bound securely, they were led out to the yard's basketball court. Once there, they were unshackled as four pylons emerged from the corners of the court. Inside each was a holographic generator that slowly thrummed to life. One of the guards came up to them with a metal briefcase. He clicked it open and inside were two decks and two Battle City style duel disks. The men strapped them on their arms and shuffled their decks carefully.

"Twenty-two years… It's sure been a long time," One of the prisoners remarked wistfully.

"Indeed. Just three more years left," The other stated calmly.

"Even if it's for just a little while, let's not fight. Let's enjoy this duel as long as possible," The first said.

"Agreed," The second smiled. Before the conversation could go on further, lights coalesced in the center of the field and took the form of Dr. Crowler.

"Greetings gentlemen. Thank you for agreeing to this duel," Dr. Crowler greeted calmly.

"Of course. We were happy to assist you with your plan. So we are to double duel two of your students?" The first prisoner asked.

"Yes and losing for them means they'll be expelled from school," Dr. Crowler explained, "I trust you two are up to the challenge?"

"Of course, but we haven't dueled in a long time. What makes you so sure we'll put up a good fight?" The second prisoner inquired.

"Because I've taken some… liberties with your decks. You'll find that your decks are even more dangerous now than when you were arrested," Dr. Crowler cackled, "You may want to familiarize yourself with the new cards we've added before we start the duel." This news surprised both prisoners as they looked at their cards.

"So, you want us to study our decks, re-learn this game, and beat two of your students?" The first prisoner clarified.

"In a word, yes," Dr. Crowler said. Both men grinned in anticipation.

"It would be our deepest pleasure. I trust we get to keep the cards you've added?" The second prisoner asked. Dr. Crowler nodded.

"Yes and I even called in a favor with the warden. If you achieve victory, the decks can go back to your cells and you can use the duel field whenever you have yard time," Dr. Crowler added. The eagerness of the two prisoners increased with this news. They hadn't gotten much in the way of yard time as of late.

"I trust these conditions are to your satisfaction?" Dr. Crowler asked, the slightest hint of a smile forming on his face, "The duel is two hours from now. Familiarize yourselves with the decks and the master tag team rules. And I've also seen fit to add one more surprise. Check the briefcase's underlining." With that, the hologram of Dr. Crowler faded away. Curiously, the two men checked the case again and grinned as they found a secret compartment. What was inside made them grin broadly. With the connection cut, Crowler was alone on the arena floor.

"I'm a genius, a simple genius! I lure Jaden deep inside the abandoned dorm, then Dr. Stratton arranges this tag duel as punishment. When they lose, they'll get expelled," Crowler laughed as the students began to stream in, _Only I'm going to make sure of it. Between the new cards and my little surprise, those two are sure to be expelled._ Those hours passed swiftly as the two prisoners prepared for their first duel in years. Meanwhile at the Slifer dorm, things were quiet as Atsuko stepped out of her dorm room with a textbook in her hand.

"I can't believe I forgot my homework. That's what I get for helping Jaden-kun late last night," Atsuko told herself as she put her book in her bag. The task complete, she was walking by Jaden's door when a loud snore got her attention.

 _That came from Jaden-kun's room. Don't tell me he slept in on the day of his big duel!_ Atsuko thought fearfully. Bewildered, she peeked back in and saw the top bunk in the room show signs of life. She switched on the light and stepped up to the side of the bunk bed. She pulled aside the covers and saw Chumley snoring away in his pajamas.

"I don't believe this. Oi! Chumley-kun! Wake up!" Atsuko demanded angrily, shaking the tubby duelist, "You're going to miss Jaden and Syrus's judgment duel. Come on!" He yawned quietly and began to roll towards Atsuko. With no blankets to keep him in the bed, the female Slifer cried out in surprise as her friend rolled out of bed and landed flat on top of her.

"Chumley-kun… Wake up…" Atsuko groaned, "Can't… breathe…" Chumley yawned and his eyes blinked open wearily.

"Aw… Morning Atsuko. Five more minutes please…" Chumley asked dreamily before laying his head back down between her developing breasts. Atsuko's face went red with anger and frustration as the boy was lulled back into sleep, unaware of where he was.

 _Mataku… If brains were sharp as swords, he'd be blunt as a club._ Atsuko sighed with exasperation as she worked to wake up her friend, _I hope Lynn-hime's faring better with Jaden-kun and Syrus-kun._ Near the arena entrance on campus, Jaden and Syrus were meeting with Lynn and Alexis going over final strategies before the match.

"OK, you two know the plan, right?" Lynn asked.

"Sure do. This'll be easy. Just another day and another duel. With all these new cards, we're going to be unstoppable, right Syrus?" Jaden asked cheerfully as he slipped his deck into his holster. His cheer was not shared by his chum.

"How can you be so calm about this? If we lose this duel, we'll both be expelled from the academy," Syrus reminded him worryingly.

"Sy, you can't be so negative. You and Jay have trained like crazy," Lynn pointed out.

"Yeah if you call being beaten by you, Alexis and Atsuko repeatedly training," Syrus reminded her gloomily, "In all of our practice duels, we never beat you once." Both girls were embarrassed at the comment.

"Well… Yeah but some of them were close," Alexis said hopefully, "Syrus, you need to get out of your head and believe in yourself. Don't get discouraged before you've even started."

"Yeah how are you going to defeat Dr. Stratton's duelists if you keep losing to yourself?" Lynn asked sagely.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Syrus said slowly, seeing the sense of his friend's words.

"No, we _are_ right," Lynn corrected as the sounds of applause filled the hallway, "Now go out there and give it your all. No regrets."

"Relax girls. We'll be back before you know it," Jaden grinned, "Come on Sy." The decision made and their path set, Jaden and Syrus walked away from their friends and to the arena floor. Alexis and Lynn turned away and slipped up through a side stairwell into the bleachers. They found two good seats towards the top row.

"…This isn't going to go well, is it?" Lynn asked.

"We've done all we can. There's nothing more we can do now. We have to let them take it from here," Alexis replied calmly, _and hope Syrus finds his confidence in time to help Jaden._ As the two girls watched their friends go out onto the floor, a heavy feeling of guilt weighed on both of them. It wasn't something they were looking forward to but the day had finally arrived. Their friends' futures at Duel Academy was on the line. The day of the punishment duel had finally arrived.

 **Chapter Ten: Tag Team Trial**

Dr. Stratton was walking out of his office towards the arena as he was approached by Chazz.

"Hey Dr. Stratton, wait up," Chazz said.

"I've got a punishment duel to attend Mr. Princeton. Make it fast," Dr. Stratton said back, not slowing his pace in the least.

"I just wanted to ask that you put me in the elimination duel against Jaden," Chazz proposed, "I'm sure I can beat him this time."

"Oh really? Between your losses to Atsuko on the first day of school and the humiliating match you had with Jaden during the promotion exams, I don't believe you to be up to the challenge," Dr. Stratton rationalized.

"Come on Doc, I've worked like crazy to get a chance to try again," Chazz said, "I can make it worth your while." Dr. Stratton stopped and looked back at Chazz.

"I know you come from money Mr. Princeton, but that doesn't entitle you to get whatever the hell you want from me," Dr. Stratton said sarcastically.

"I'm serious Doc. Just let me have a shot," Chazz begged as they reached the arena doors.

"Mr. Princeton, this conversation is over. You're not dueling and no price you pay will make that happen so give it a rest," Dr. Stratton growled hatefully as he moved off. Chazz grimaced in anger as he followed the doctor into the stands. Taking a spot higher up but in sight of the doctor, Chazz sat down and kicked the back of the seat in front of him in frustration.

"I should be the one taking those two slackers out," Chazz fumed quietly, "Who does Dr. Stratton think he is?"

"Uh, our teacher?" One of the Obelisks replied. Chazz glanced at him angrily, shutting him up right then and there. As he did, he saw Atsuko and Chumley running in, the latter sweating profusely. Seeing them together, he grinned.

"I thought running was supposed to be healthy," Chumley sighed as he took a seat.

"You wouldn't have made it at _all_ if I hadn't heard you snoring in your room," Atsuko chastised angrily as she sat next to him, "Come on! Our friends, your roommates, are down there dueling for their future here at the academy. The least you can do is wake up and show your support." Chumley frowned, ashamed at his lack of action.

"Hey chunky, here to see your roommates get evicted from school?" Chazz taunted. The two Slifers looked down at him.

"No. I'm here to watch them win," Chumley protested.

"With a duelist as pathetic as Syrus on Jaden's team? I wouldn't bet on it," Chazz grinned, "I hear those two got beat over and over during all their practice duels. Why they bother to humiliate themselves here is beyond me."

"Oh yeah? Well don't forget Chazz that practice makes perfect," Atsuko smiled back confidently.

"We'll see about that," Chazz said. On the opposite side of the arena, Alexis and Lynn were waiting tersely for the match begin when Bastion came up to them.

"Hello girls. Mind if I sit with you?" Bastion asked.

"Not at all," Lynn agreed.

"This duel… It's a tad harsh I say," Bastion scoffed as he sat down.

"No joke," Alexis replied as he took a seat next to her, "And because I got them into this mess, they have to get themselves out on their own."

"Hey, it's not all your fault. I went along with you," Lynn protested quietly.

"Looks like it's almost time," Valkyria said, appearing at Lynn's side. Lynn nodded. She turned to her right and saw Zane standing alone, his arms crossed and a disapproving look on his face as he stared down at the field.

 _Talk about being cold._ Lynn frowned, "You'd think Zane would show at least a little emotion seeing as how it's his brother's future that's on the line."

"Unless it's a strong opponent or a challenge, cold and stoic is as much as we're going to get out of him," Alexis sighed as Dr. Stratton stepped out onto the arena floor.

"Alright, settle down everyone. Thank you. Now without further ado, we will begin today's judgment duel. Allow me to introduce our guest tag team duo!" Dr. Stratton announced, signaling the start of the test. To the surprise of everyone in the room, four pylons emerged from different corners of the arena. Hologram generators inside them glowed with a rainbow of colors as two figures materialized on the opposite end of the field. The figures were two men. The first one was bald and chubby and wearing a white mask that concealed the right side of his face. The second was tall with a green mohawk and mask obscuring the left side of his face. They wore orange prison jumpsuits and each had a Battle City style duel disk.

"Greetings duelists. I am Lumis," The short one greeted.

"And I am Umbra," The tall one added.

"We heard you two are in trouble and were in need of punishing," Lumis continued.

"So we were called in to make sure you end up evicted," Umbra said.

"Lumis and Umbra… I've never heard of these guys," Jaden said.

"Me neither," Syrus added, his hope rising, "Maybe this duel won't be so bad after all."

"Who are these guys?" Lynn wondered, "They look like prisoners."

"They are," A voice replied. The three teens looked up and saw Lucia sitting on the railing. A tablet was cradled in her hands as she typed away from it.

"Ah Lucia… By chance do you have any information about Jaden and Syrus's opponents? I must confess I'm not familiar with them," Bastion asked modestly, looking down at his PDA.

"Oh yes I do. They're Lumis and Umbra, former rare hunters. They're currently serving year twenty two of a twenty-five-year sentence for multiple accounts of kidnapping, assault, and theft out of Domino Penitentiary. Before their arrest, they were renowned tag dueling partners. Their last duel was against Yugi and Kaiba during the events of Battle City over twenty years ago," Lucia read from her tablet, "I'm sending it to you now Bastion."

"How kind of you," Bastion said gratefully, opening the file to view for himself.

"OK, that explains who they are but how did Dr. Stratton get two convicts to agree to a duel?" Alexis wondered.

"My father went to college with the warden," Lucia replied, as she put her tablet aside, "Besides, it's not like they've got anything better to do what with them being in jail and all."

"If they've been in jail since Battle City, Jaden and Syrus' odds of victory may just have gone up," Lynn remarked, "Duel Monster cards aren't a right in prison."

"I wouldn't bet on it. I ran a simulation pitting those four against one another. Jaden and Syrus' decks only have a compatibility rating of 30 percent while Lumis and Umbra have a compatibility rating of 92 percent," Lucia said, "Even if they have old cards, they still have a good chance of beating Jaden and Syrus."

"What did you use for the basis of your analysis Lucia?" Bastion asked.

"Their old Battle City profile coupled with changes in cards that match their dueling decks and strategies," Lucia replied calmly, "Taking those factors in place, I place the odds of a victory by the two Slifers at 30 to 1."

"Really? My math placed their odds at 50 in 1," Bastion replied, getting glares from the two blonds.

"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Alexis asked angrily. Chancellor Sheppard however didn't like the odds either.

"Dr. Stratton, isn't this a bit much?" Sheppard asked.

"No not at all," Dr. Stratton disagreed, "There's actually three advantages to doing this like this. First, it's quite fitting for two convicts to duel two rulebreakers. Second, Kaiba Corp. has asked us to test out the new duel broadcast system that was installed over the summer. Lastly, a duel like this saves us some heavy travel expenses."

"Those are true," The chancellor said, "But still… Jaden, I'll leave it up to you, son. Still up for it? I'm sure I can find somebody else if you'd like." Jaden looked at the chancellor, then to the two prisoners, then back to the chancellor again.

"Ah, one of these guys couldn't even beat male-patterned baldness. There's no way they're gonna be able to beat us," Jaden replied, a big grin forming on the chancellor's face. Dr. Stratton's look went flat as Crowler's face dropped, unable to grasp what he had said.

"Oh, how wonderfully clever," Dr. Crowler said sarcastically as he entered the center of the field again. Dr. Stratton took a seat as Jaden and Syrus moved to their side of the field and took positions.

"Duelists! Prepare to battle!" Crowler commanded.

"Breathe Sy, we can do this!" Jaden said, trying to get his friend ready. Syrus grinned as he mentally prepared himself.

"The rules for this tag team duel are actually very simple. We will play according to the master rules of the world pro league. The first player will not draw a card. There is no sharing of strategy and no sharing of any card that is not in play, but you may use any card that's on your partner's field. Monsters can be summoned in face-up defense mode. Lastly, players with no monsters are free to be attacked even if their partner has a monster. Understood?" Crowler asked. The four duelists nodded.

"Then duel!" Crowler commanded as he jumped off the platform.

"Alright, get your games on!" Jaden commanded as all the duelists drew five cards.

 **Lumis and Umbra's LP: 8000**

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 8000**

"Very well. I shall start things by placing one card facedown and ending my turn," Lumis said, a single card materializing in front of him.

 _Huh? Just one card? Just what is this guy up to?_ Lynn wondered.

"Alright. If we're going to be dark and mysterious, I can be that way too. I'll set a monster in defense mode and I'll throw down a facedown while I'm at it," Jaden said as two cards materialized on his field.

"It's my turn now. I summon Shining Abyss in attack mode and then I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," Umbra said as the most unusual monster appeared on his field. Possessing a blue body with a sphere serving at its legs, it had gold ornamentation all over its body and golden wings (ATK: 1600).

"OK, I'll throw out Gyroid in defense mode and end my turn," Syrus announced as his cartoon helicopter appeared on the field (DEF: 1000).

"Ha! Is that all you two can muster? A couple of puny defense monsters?" Lumis taunted as he drew a card, "I think you need a makeover. I activate the equip spell Mask of the Accursed and I think your Gyroid will be a perfect fit for it." A mask with spikes laced about its surface attached to the copter's face. The moment it did, the copter landed on the floor motionlessly.

"Huh? What's wrong with my monster?" Syrus asked.

"That mask saps your monster's strength. It can no longer attack and when your standby phase arrives, you'll lose 500 life points per turn!" Lumis explained laughingly, as a masked purple spirit appeared on his field (ATK: 1500), "And while I'm at it, I'll summon my Grand Tiki Elder in attack mode and have it rid the field of your partner's monster." The spirit raised its hand and generated a purple mist that quickly surrounded Jaden's facedown monster, exposing it as a skeleton monster with a red robe and purple boots (DEF: 700). The monster groaned as the mist eroded it away.

"Thanks for that. You just destroyed my Phantom Magician! When he's destroyed, I can special summon a hero monster from my deck with 1000 attack points or less. I'll choose Elemental Hero Woodsman and summon him in defense mode!" Jaden grinned as the mist faded away, exposing a muscular green man wearing a brown loincloth. His right arm and leg appeared to made out of wood (DEF: 2000).

"And the fun doesn't stop there! I also activate Hero Signal!" Jaden continued as trap card revealed itself and shone a spotlight over the field, "When a monster on my field is destroyed in battle, I can special summon a level four or lower Elemental Hero from my deck to the field. I'll choose my Elemental Hero Avian!" The spotlight quickly vanished and Jaden's winged hero appeared (ATK: 1000).

"Getting two monsters for one attack… Wait! That's my move," Alexis realized.

"Yeah, I know. Jaden liked the idea so I helped him find the cards he needed to set that combo up in his deck," Lynn explained, "These master rules make it so certain cards like Pot of Greed can't be used. To help out, I helped those two find other ways to get the cards they needed."

"Looks like the work paid off," Alexis smiled at the two new monsters, "Those two will be very helpful when Jaden's turn comes around."

"Grr… I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," Lumis growled as a second facedown card appeared on his field, "You may have gotten two monsters out of my move, but they won't change the outcome of this duel."

"Oh, you're wrong there. It's my turn now and I'll activate Woodsman's special ability. When he's face up on my field during my standby phase, I can add a Polymerization card from my deck to my hand," Jaden explained. His wooden hero raised his hands above his head and a glowing green sphere of light appeared between them. The sphere flew into Jaden's outstretched hand and formed into his most useful spell card.

"Now that I've got it, it's time for some fusion action! I'll fuse the Avian on the field with the Burstinatrix in my hand to form the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" Jaden continued as the female hero appeared and flew into a vortex alongside Avian. The vortex swiftly vanished and from it emerged Jaden's headlining monster (ATK: 2100).

"Now Flame Wingman, incinerate their Shining Abyss! Infernal rage!" Jaden commanded. His hero raised his right arm and flame built up within it.

"Not so fast! I activate my trap card," Umbra countered.

"Uh oh!" Jaden flinched as the trap revealed itself.

"My continuous trap card Astral Barrier turns your attack into a direct attack on me," Umbra explained. The fusion monster launched its flame blast and two Slifers watched in bewilderment as the attack curved away and struck Umbra head-on. The masked duelist merely laughed haughtily as the damage set in.

 **Lumis and Umbra's LP: 8000-5900**

"Huh? Why would you do that?" Syrus wondered aloud.

"An excellent question. Taking the direct attack allows me to activate my trap card, Shock Draw!" Lumis replied as his own facedown card flipped up, "For every 1000 points of damage we took, we can draw one card. Your Wingman inflicted 2100 points of damage, so I draw two cards."

"Reducing your team's life points for a few extra cards. That was a risky move," Alexis remarked as Lumis drew his cards.

"Not if the cards were worth it," Bastion added as Jaden's turn came to an end.

"It's my turn now and I summon Melchid the Four-Faced Beast in attack mode!" Umbra said as a monster composed of four floating masks clumped together on his field (ATK: 1500), "Next I'll outfit my Shining Abyss with the Axe of Despair equip spell card! This evil axe raises the attack of the equipped monster by 1000 points." A wicked looking axe materialized on the fairy monster's back, emitting a crimson aura. The aura empowered the monster, making it increase in size.

Shining Abyss ATK: 1600-2600

"Now Shining Abyss! Show Flame Wingman the fate of all heroes! Destroy him!" Umbra ordered. Empowered by the axe's dark aura, it launched a beam of light that consumed Jaden's fusion monster.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 8000-7500**

"Since neither or your remaining monsters can be defeated by Melchid, I'll end by placing one card facedown," Umbra concluded as a single card materialized behind his monsters.

"Alright! It's my turn now!" Syrus said as he drew a card.

"Not so fast kid. You forget that Mask of the Accursed is equipped to your Gyroid. Because of that, you'll take 500 points of damage," Lumis reminded him. Syrus withered slightly as the damage set in.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 7500-7000**

 _That won't matter in a moment._ Syrus thought as he looked at the card he drew, _I can use this card to help Jaden if his fusion monsters get beaten again._ "I activate the continuous spell card Branch! Now if you destroy our fusion monsters, we can special summon back one of the fusion materials used to summon them," Syrus explained aloud. To his amazement, neither duelist seemed worried in the slightest. They burst out laughing instead.

"Huh? What's so funny?" Syrus asked.

"Baka! How could he forget after all the practice we did?" Atsuko groaned quietly.

"What'd Sy do wrong?" Chumley asked.

"Syrus-kun forgot to use Woodsman's ability," Atsuko frowned, facepalming, "Since he was on the field, he could've used it to score a free Polymerization card during his standby phase."

"Oh man! I forgot to use Woodsman's ability. Can I get a do-over?" Syrus asked politely.

"Sorry. Life doesn't give do-overs and neither do we!" Lumis grinned.

"This isn't some practice duel boy. You should've thought ahead before making such a foolish mistake," Umbra taunted. Syrus looked down at his hand at disappointment but as he did, his hope quickly returned.

"Wait! I just realized! I don't need a Polymerization card from my deck. I've already got one," Syrus said as he held it up before putting it in his duel disk, "I'll use it to fuse my Gyroid on the field and the Steamroid in my hand to fusion summon Steam Gyroid!"

"Yes! If this works, Syrus can get rid of that Mask of the Accursed and get a strong monster too," Alexis said hopefully as Syrus's train monster appeared alongside a swirling vortex.

"I don't think so! I activate my trap card, Dark Bribe! It lets me negate your Polymerization," Umbra countered as his trap opened up. The trap card fired a beam of red light that consumed the vortex and made Steamroid bounce back into Syrus's hand.

"Oh man," Syrus sighed unhappily, "There goes my combo."

"Oh, don't feel too disappointed boy. My trap does have a cost to pay. You get to draw a free card from your deck," Umbra pointed out as his card faded, "Maybe you'll get another Polymerization to screw up with." The two adults laughed as Syrus's sense of worth continued to decline. He drew a card and his sadness turned to frustration and anger.

"Well I may not be able to fuse monsters but I can still summon Steamroid in attack mode!" Syrus countered angrily as his cartoon train appeared on the field again (ATK: 1800), "Now Steamroid! It's time to go locomotive! Run down his Grand Tiki Elder!"

"Uh Sy? You sure that's a good idea?" Jaden asked as his partner's monster revved up its engine.

"Sure it is. When Steamroid attacks, he gains 500 attack points for the turn!" Syrus countered, "That'll increase the damage he does."

Steamroid ATK: 1800-2300

"That won't matter in a moment. You've fallen into my trap. I activate Tailor of the Fickle!" Lumis cackled as his spell card flipped open.

"Tailor of the Fickle?" Lynn wondered.

"It's an old card. Old as the days of Battle City but still very dangerous today," Lucia remarked.

"This spell card allows me to take any equip spell on the field and equip it to a different monster," Lumis explained as he looked to his partner, "May I borrow your axe, Umbra?"

"But of course. Your elder is more than welcome to it," Umbra agreed. Their decision complete, the axe left Shining Abyss's possession and the Grand Tiki Elder swiftly grabbed it. The axe's corrupting aura filled the elder as its strength transferred to him.

Shining Abyss ATK: 2600-1600

Grand Tiki Elder ATK: 1500-2500

"Now my elder is more powerful than your toy train!" Lumis laughed as his monster drew back his new weapon. Steamroid bravely rushed towards him anyway but the elder brought the axe blade down and the onlookers watched in horror as the train was cleaved cleanly in two before exploding.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 7000-6800**

"What a loser. I didn't think he'd been dumb enough to trigger such an obvious trap," Chazz laughed.

"Urusai Chazz!" Atsuko hissed angrily as Syrus's turn came to an end.

"It's OK buddy. It's just one bad move," Jaden said, "We've still got plenty of time to turn this around."

"I don't know about that Jay. This is so embarrassing," Syrus sighed sadly as Lumis drew a card to begin his turn.

"Aw, don't feel too bad boy. If you're so embarrassed, you can hide your face behind my newest mask!" Lumis offered as he slotted in a spell card.

"Newest mask?" Syrus asked.

"That's right. I play Mask of Dispel! This mask will cover your Branch spell card and negate its effect. Additionally, just like Mask of the Accursed, you'll lose 500 life points when your turn begins," Lumis explained. A purple mask materialized over Syrus's spell, turning the image on it black.

"Now that your spell has been rendered useless, it's time to take out your monster," Lumis said as he looked to his partner, "Umbra, may I borrow a monster from you?"

"Of course. What is mine is yours," Umbra agreed.

"Then I'll release Umbra's Melchid and my Grand Tiki Elder to special summon one of my strongest monsters! Fear my beast, the Masked Beast Des Guardius!" Lumis grinned as both monsters vanished in twin swirling lights. From them came a muscular monster with three blue masks for faces. Its bones stuck out from its flesh and its thick claws made it look quite fierce (ATK: 3300).

"Now Masked Beast Des Guardius, destroy the Flame Wingman! Crimson claw!" Lumis ordered. His monster roared in rage as it lunged at Jaden's monster. It slashed repeatedly, dicing Jaden's monster into multiple pieces before it exploded.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 6800-5600**

"My turn is over but with Des Guardius out, you two are in a lot of trouble," Lumis gloated.

"We'll see about that," Jaden challenged as he drew a card, "It's my turn now and since Woodsman is up on my field during my standby phase, I get to add Polymerization from my deck to my hand again." Once again, his wooden hero summoned another card and materialized it in Jaden's hand. Sparkman then materialized on Jaden's field as a vortex appeared between his two heroes.

"Now I'll fuse my Woodsman on the field and the Sparkman in my hand to fusion summon another Elemental Hero, Elemental Hero Gaia!" Jaden declared as his two monsters went inside the vortex. From it emerged a towering black monster in thick armor with red jewels. Its body was metallic and its two arms had metal cannons mounted on them (ATK: 2200).

"Now for Gaia's superpower! When fusion summoned successfully, he cuts your monster's attack points in half!" Jaden explained as the red jewels flared to life. Red beams fired from them and struck Des Guardius, draining its energy.

Masked Beast Des Guardius ATK: 3300-1650

"And just to make sure they don't go to waste, Gaia will gain them for this turn!" Jaden grinned broadly as the energy flooded his monster.

E-Hero Gaia ATK: 2200-3850

"Lishus! Those two are in trouble now," Chumley grinned. Atsuko however didn't share Chumley's jolly mood. From her perch, she could see the two Rare Hunters were pretty blasé about the whole thing.

 _Strange. Their monster is about to be destroyed but Lumis and Umbra don't seem worried at all._ Atsuko thought, _could it have an ability to use against Jaden-kun?_

 _I can't let these guys keep picking on Syrus. My pal's been bullied enough already._ Jaden thought, "Now hero Gaia! De-claw his Des Guardius!" Jaden commanded, "Gatling barrage!" Gaia raised its cannons and they began to spin around its arms. Multiple gunshots rang out as Gaia fired a hail of bullets that tore through Des Guardius before destroying it in a plume of smoke.

 **Lumis and Umbra's LP: 5900-3700**

"So much for Lumis and Umbra's monster. Jaden destroyed it pretty easily," Alexis grinned, looking over at her friends. To her curiosity, Bastion wasn't smiling at all.

"A little _too_ easily," Bastion remarked grimly as the smoke vanished. Lying on the ground were three masks.

"Masks? What are they doing there?" Lynn wondered.

"I get the feeling we're about to find out," Lucia said.

"You may have defeated Des Guardius but by doing so, you've activated its special ability," Lumis said, pointing to the three masks on the ground, "When Des Guardius is beaten, he leaves behind three masks that combine together to form the Mask of Remnants."

"Mask of Remnants?" Syrus echoed worryingly as three masks fused to form a grotesque red mask.

"Yes, and it looks to be your hero's size!" Lumis said as the mask attached to the monster's face. The moment it touched its face, the mask's eyes glowed red and Gaia immediately leapt over to Lumis's side of the field.

"My hero Gaia! What gives?" Jaden demanded.

"I guess I forgot to mention one thing about that mask. Any monster wearing it turns on its master," Lumis grinned, "In other words, he's not your hero anymore. Now he's _mine_."

"I'll end my turn with two facedowns," Jaden concluded sadly as two cards appeared on his field, "And now with my turn ending, Gaia's attack points return to normal."

E-Hero Gaia ATK: 3850-2200

"It's my turn now and I'll begin with the spell card Magic Planter. This spell card lets me send a continuous trap card from my field to the graveyard," Umbra began, looking at his Astral Barrier before it shattered into pieces, "Now that my barrier has outlived its usefulness, I use planter's effect to draw two cards." The two Slifers watched tersely as their opponent drew his cards. Upon gazing at them, Umbra immediately grinned sinisterly.

"I don't like the look on that guy's face," Lynn frowned.

"Now I'll summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands in attack mode," Umbra continued as a grotesque humanoid monster appeared on his field, its body made completely of hands (ATK: 1400), "Then I'll activate its special ability. It lets me move a ritual monster or spell card from my deck to my hand."

"Big deal. Even if you get one, you can't use it unless you have the partner card to go with it," Syrus pointed out.

"But I already do and I plan to use it right now!" Umbra grinned as he slotted in the card he drew, "I activate my ritual spell Curse of the Masked Beast."

"Curse of the Masked Beast?" Jaden and Syrus echoed. A black pot decorated with ruins emerged on Umbra's field alongside two sacrificial altars. His two monsters jumped upon them and were immediately consumed with red flames.

"It allows me to summon an extremely powerful monster but first I must sacrifice eight levels worth of monsters. I'll sacrifice my Shining Abyss and Manju to ritual summon my most powerful monster. Behold the power of the Masked Beast!" Umbra announced as the pot exploded and from it came the most grotesque chimera-like monster the duo had seen to date. Walking on four red legs, its lower torso was made of green flesh with a long whip-like tail in the back. Its upper orange torso was composed of a humanoid body with two muscular arms clutching a red staff, its head concealed by a green mask with black eyes (ATK: 3200).

"But who to attack? I could attack you Jaden but your facedown cards concern me. Then there's Syrus. Your Gyroid is still wearing Lumis's Mask of the Accursed," Umbra said, studying the field carefully, "And since that reduces your life points by 500 each turn, it'd be pointless to remove it from the field now." Almost unnoticed, Umbra's masked eye looked over at his partner. Unbeknowst to the duelists, Lumis and Umbra's masks contained concealed microphones and earpieces, allowing them to communicate discreetly.

"Not to worry Umbra. Attack the shrimp. Since it can't be destroyed in battle once per turn, you can attack it and still leave my mask in play," Lumis whispered into his mic, "But you haven't the means of inflicting piercing damage."

"Yes, I do," Umbra whispered back as he reached into his hand, "Before I enter my battle phase, I'll augment my beast with the Fairy Meteor Crush equip spell card!" Crimson energy wrapped around Umbra's monster as it roared fiercely.

"This is bad. That spell lets the equipped monster inflict piercing damage," Bastion grimaced.

"Alright Masked Beast! Use Fairy Meteor's Crush's magic and attack Syrus's Gyroid!" Umbra ordered, "Primal energy barrage!" Syrus's eyes widened in fear as the ritual monster leveled its staff at him. Crimson energy gathered at its tip before being launched as a fearsome beam of light. The light struck Gyroid and went on to strike Syrus. The smaller Slifer cried out in pain as the energy blew him clear off his feet and made him land in a heap. Smoke hissed off Gyroid's body as it used its ability to survive the battle but Syrus wasn't so fortunate.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 5600-3400**

"Sy! You OK pal?" Jaden asked worryingly.

"I'm OK," Syrus sighed as he wearily got back to his feet, _for how long I don't know._

"Glad to hear it because they're not getting away with that. I've got a trap ready!" Jaden said angrily as his trap card flipped open, "Since you inflicted damage, I can use Damage Gate to call a monster back from the graveyard. Its attack points have to be lower than the damage we took but with all that damage, I'm pretty much able to call out any card I lost so far." A misty doorway appeared between the two Slifers and from it came Jaden's headlining monster (ATK: 2100).

"The card I choose will be my old pal Elemental Hero Flame Wingman," Jaden announced.

"Call your hero as many times as you wish. He's no match for my Masked Beast," Umbra insisted, "None of your monsters are. You might as well accept your defeat now." Syrus gazed at the cards in his hand and frowned with discomfort.

"This just isn't going our way Jaden. What do you think? If we surrender now, we'll have some more time to pack our bags," Syrus asked quietly, "There's no reason to even draw."

"Syrus, listen to me: One draw is all it takes to turn the tides of an entire duel," Jaden explained, "You remember the last time you had one draw right?" Syrus nodded.

"Ya hear what I'm saying Syrus? There's no such thing as a last draw because with the right card, you can always get another draw!" Jaden grinned.

"But…" Syrus said.

"No buts about it! Make your move pal! We know you can do this!" Jaden encouraged, glancing behind him. Syrus's gaze followed him and he could see their friends in the stands.

"You can do it Syrus. Believe in yourself," Lynn urged.

"You can't keep feeling sorry for yourself! You have to stand up and fight!" Alexis added.

"OK, I'll try," Syrus resolved as he looked down at his deck, _Jay's right and so are my friends. I can't keep sitting around feeling sorry for myself. This Masked Beast will take us out unless we can get rid of it. Then there's those two mask cards. They'll keep draining my life points while they're active._ Reluctantly, he drew a card and was surprised by what he got.

 _Wait a second! This card can help us deal with both of them._ Syrus realized as he reached into his hand.

"Don't be so hasty boy. Two of your cards are wearing two of our masks. Thanks to them, you'll lose 1000 life points during your standby phase," Lumis warned as the two spell cards glowed and sapped the Slifers' life points even further.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 3400-2400**

"I know that but soon that's going to change. I summon Drilloid in attack mode," Syrus said, throwing down his drill monster (ATK: 1600).

"Another of your pathetic cartoon creations? For a moment, I might've thought it'd actually pose a threat," Umbra scoffed. To everyone's surprise, it was Syrus's turn to smile.

"Not yet he isn't! I activate the spell card Limiter Removal!" Syrus continued. Lumis and Umbra recoiled in fear.

"This spell doubles the attack points of all machine cards on the field," Syrus explained as his monsters began to spark wildly with energy.

Drilloid ATK: 1600-3200

Gyroid ATK: 1000-2000

"What? Now your Drilloid is as powerful as my Masked Beast!" Umbra gasped.

"Now Drilloid, attack The Masked Beast!" Syrus ordered as his monster's drill revved up, "Drill drive!"

"Do something Umbra before he takes out your monster!" Lumis urged hastily as Syrus's monster charged ahead.

"I can't!" Umbra replied. The two Rare Hunters watched in horror as Syrus's monster buried its drill into the ritual monster's chest before exploding violently, consuming both monsters.

"And my move doesn't stop there. During the end phase, my remaining machine monster is destroyed… And so is one of your masks!" Syrus pointed out as Gyroid self-destructed.

"What? No!" Lumis grimaced as the monster's mask clattered to the ground and vanished in a wave of pixels. The students cheered wildly as the two Rare Hunters frowned in anger. All around them, everybody was commenting on their moves.

"No! This duel is supposed to be punishment, and now they're being treated like heroes!" Dr. Crowler moaned, tears flowing down his face, "I won't accept this!"

"Sounds like Syrus has found his courage at last," Dr. Stratton remarked, looking over to Professor Banner, "What do you think Lyman?"

"Oh I agree. A move like that takes a lot of guts, but I do worry for him though. In his eagerness to get back in the game, Syrus has left himself open," Professor Banner pointed out.

"That may be prove to be a problem in a moment," Dr. Stratton agreed.

"Did you see that? Tell me you saw that!" Bastion asked.

"Bastion! I'm sitting next to you, watching my two friends in the toughest duel of their lives. What do you think I'm looking at?" Alexis replied sarcastically, before smiling, "But you know what amazes me? Syrus finally got his act together and because of it, he was able to overcome the Masked Beast."

"Yeah, now if Jaden and Sy can keep that up, they can still win this duel," Lynn nodded.

"I wouldn't say that Lynn. Syrus totally left himself open. If Lumis summons another monster this turn, he can use it and Gaia to attack him directly. That'll end the match for sure," Lucia cautioned as the foursome turned their gaze back to the field.

"Then let's hope he doesn't get one," Lynn said as Lumis drew a card. Upon seeing it, he grinned broadly.

"Now it's my turn and I too will summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands," Lumis said as the handy monster appeared on his field (ATK: 1400), "Next I'll use his special ability to add a ritual spell to my hand… Not that it will matter because in a moment you'll be finished."

"Hold on Lumis. Why spoil the fun and end it now? We have the upper hand. Why not draw this out and go for a _complete_ victory? Surely you can destroy Jaden's monster and still have enough strength to win the match?" Umbra proposed into his mic.

"A tempting proposition," Lumis agreed quietly.

"Why not? It's not like the little one's put up much of a fight in the first place. Go ahead and summon it Lumis – Your ultimate monster!" Umbra insisted. Lumis nodded, a broad grin forming on his face.

"With your Elemental Hero and my Manju in play, I could finish you right now but I think I'll rid myself of both of them," Lumis said as he inserted a spell card.

"Huh? Rid yourself of both of them? What are you talking about?" Jaden asked.

"I'll show you. I active my ritual spell card, Ritual of Destruction! With this, I can ritual summon one of the most destructive monsters in the game!" Lumis said as a hexagram materialized underneath his two monsters. A swirling vortex of darkness emerged in the center of it, drawing in both Lumis's monsters. A beam of darkness then consumed the hexagram and exposed a werewolf-like monster with ornamental chains wrapped around its body. A white mask of bone covered its face and red spines along its forearms, thighs and claws gleamed with fresh blood.

"I sacrifice Gaia and Manju to ritual summon Garlandolf, King of Destruction!" Lumis announced proudly (ATK: 2500), "With this, you two are finished."

"Garlandolf, King of Destruction?!" Alexis and Lynn echoed.

"Oh dear," Bastion winced.

"That's a really powerful card," Lucia stated nervously as the monster roared loudly.

"And now I'll activate his special ability. Garlandolf's effect destroys all monsters with defense points equal to or less than his attack points," Lumis explained as the chains his monster was wrapped in began to glow, "When your hero is gone, it'll be all over for you two!"

"Before it's too late I activate my trap card, Elemental Recharge! With this card, I gain 1000 life points for each Elemental Hero I have," Jaden countered as his life points jumped up.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 2400-3400**

"No! Curse that rotten slacker and his trap!" Dr. Crowler moaned. With his points restored, Jaden watched as chains of darkness leapt from Garlandolf's body and whipped his monster repeatedly before he was destroyed.

"You may have saved yourself from losing but Garlandolf has another ability. He gains 100 attack points for each monster he destroys with his ability," Lumis explained.

Garlandolf, King of Destruction ATK: 2500-2600

"Now Garlandolf, attack these fools directly," Lumis ordered. His monster roared in fury as its chains glowed with power once again. The energy flowed into his claws and he pounced on the two Slifers. Both cried out the monster slashed them both hard.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 3400-800**

"I'll end with one card facedown," Lumis concluded as he depleted his hand, "Garlandolf is one of my most powerful monsters and with your field empty, you're all but finished." Both Jaden and Syrus pulled themselves to their feet, the former not ready to give up.

"One powerful ritual monster in play and with nearly five times the life points… This is a simple calculation. They'll be finished," Bastion noted.

"Nice Bastion. Way to trash our friends," Alexis glowered.

"Yeah, keep giving their opponents props and I'll give you a taste of my _fist_ ," Lynn threatened, raising her first towards him in anger.

"Relax Lynn. This isn't over and judging by Jaden's eyes, I'd say he's ready to make a big move," Lucia noticed. Jaden was looking at the two robed men, a look of sheer determination of which Lynn had never seen before in the Slifer boy.

"Getting frustrated boy? Starting to realize that you've no hope of winning?" Lumis taunted. Jaden drew a card and his determination turned to confidence.

"Oh, I've got hope alright. I've got it right here! I activate the spell card Fifth Hope. This spell card shuffles five hero cards back into my deck. Then I can draw two cards," Jaden explained as five cards returned to his deck. He drew two cards and immediately grinned at what he got.

"Now I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in attack mode," Jaden continued as his blocky hero emerged on the field (ATK: 800), "Then I'll activate Mask Change!"

"What? Mask Change?" Lumis and Umbra gasped.

"Well since you guys are all about masks, I thought it's only fair that I get play with them too. Anyway, back to my spell. This card lets me exchange my hero on the field for one from my extra deck who's the same attribute!" Jaden explained as Clayman put on a glowing white mask, "So I'll exchange Clayman for a new monster." The mask glowed with energy as Clayman's body began to change. His block body slimmed down to a much more reserved musculature as white armor with blue frills wrapped around his body. A pair of spikes jutted out of the sides of his head as a silver javelin materialized in his right hand. A blue cape flapped majestically behind him as he raised his javelin in challenge to Jaden's opponents.

"Meet my Masked Hero Dian (ATK: 2800)!" Jaden announced, as his monster's spear began to glow, "And here comes his attack! Shining javelin!" Dian leapt into the air, aiming to plunge his spear into the two duelists when a might gust of wind blew him back to Jaden's side.

"What happened? Why didn't your attack work?" Syrus wondered.

"It's all thanks to a little trap card called Negate Attack!" Lumis laughed as his facedown card flipped up, "My trap cancels your attack and ends your battle phase on the spot. You really think I'd let you get an attack off so easily." Jaden grimaced at his words.

"Your tenacity is impressive Jaden," Umbra complimented, "I'll give you that… But tenacity alone will not give you the victory you need."

"Well I'm not giving up. I'll end my turn by throwing down a facedown," Jaden concluded as a single card materialized on his field.

"Then it's my turn again and I activate Fulfillment of the Contract. This equip spell special summons The Masked Beast from my graveyard and equips to it. Welcome back my Masked Beast," Umbra grinned as his masked monster returned (ATK: 3200).

 **Lumis and Umbra's LP: 3700-2900**

"This isn't good. If Umbra attacks Syrus now, he'll lose the rest of his life points," Lynn said frightfully.

"And if he destroys Jaden's hero, their life points will be low enough that Mask of Dispel will wipe them out on Syrus's turn," Lucia frowned.

"Either way, this duel is over," Bastion sighed with resignation.

"This can't be the end," Alexis frowned, her gaze going to Jaden's facedown card.

"Now we have a dilemma. Do I take you out now or let you lose on your next turn?" Umbra wondered, "Decisions… Decisions…"

"Um if my say counts for anything, how about _not_ attacking us this turn?" Syrus proposed nervously.

"Oh that's not going to happen but out of consideration, I'll attack your friend this turn," Umbra agreed, looking gleefully at Jaden.

"Thanks a lot, Sy," Jaden grimaced. Syrus grinned nervously.

"Now my Masked Beast, move in for the attack! Destroy Dian and set them up to lose!" Umbra ordered as the creature launched another crimson beam.

"I don't think so! You're not the only duelist with a Negate Attack card," Jaden countered his trap flipped up and a wall of wind protected his monster, "Just like yours, my trap card blocks your attack and ends the battle phase."

"My turn is over but between Garlandolf and my Masked Beast, you are all but finished. With our next turn, we'll wipe you out," Umbra promised. Syrus frowned as he looked down at his deck.

"Then we just have to make sure you don't have a next turn," Jaden countered, before turning to his partner, "This is it. It's up to you Syrus. This is our last shot. You can do it." Syrus's frown deepened with this information. The onlookers watched with anticipation as Syrus drew his card.

"With the way things are going, it _is_ up to Syrus now. Jaden's hand is empty and all he has left is his Masked Hero," Bastion remarked grimly as Syrus looked at the card he drew.

 _Power Bond…_ Syrus thought. In his mind, he saw him standing with his brother. Zane had his back to him, his head lowered.

"Hey Zane, what's the difference between using a card and playing it?" Syrus asked, "Aren't they the same thing?"

"That's something that can never be taught, only learned. It takes a moment of pure clarity, when you're dueling on a whole new level. A higher level, all the angles, all the moves. You won't think, just act," Zane replied.

"OK, no more thinking. Time for action," Syrus said as he reached into his hand.

"Don't be so hasty. My Mask of Dispel is still in effect so you lose 500 life points," Lumis warned.

 **Jaden and Syrus's LP: 800-300**

"Fine. This duel's over anyway!" Syrus replied bravely, "I'm going to use the spell card Power Bond. It lets me summon a machine-type fusion monster. I just need some help to do it. Jaden, mind if I borrow your monster?"

"Hey, what's mine is yours Sy," Jaden replied confidently.

"Now I fuse together UFOroid from my hand and Dian to create UFOroid Fighter!" Syrus announced as cartoon-like UFO appeared on his field (ATK: 1200). A vortex appeared and swallowed both monsters.

"What? UFOroid Fighter?" Lumis and Umbra wondered.

"Yeah and its attack points are the sum of the individual monsters' attack points," Syrus continued as Dian reappeared mounted on UFOroid, which now had gained a set of handlebars and lost the cartoon look (ATK: 4000).

"Now Power Bond's effect kicks in! The fusion monster I summoned has its original attack points doubled!" Syrus explained as the aura surrounding Dian intensified.

UFOroid Fighter ATK: 4000-8000

"8000 attack points?! That's more than either of our monsters!" Umbra gasped.

"Idiot! We're going to lose!" Lumis screamed angrily.

"Alright Sy! Go ahead and end it!" Jaden urged.

"UFOroid Fighter attack! Blazing javelin!" Syrus ordered. Energized by Power Bond, Dian's javelin glowed with electricity. The UFO carried Dian towards the Masked Beast. When he got in range, Dian took a great swing and cleaved the monster into multiple pieces before it exploded. The explosion knocked the Rare Hunters off their feet as Dian returned to Syrus's side.

 **Lumis and Umbra's LP: 2900-0**

"Way to go!" Chumley cheered.

"Yosha! They sure showed those two!" Atsuko grinned, pumping her fist. A grunt of anger followed by bending metal drew the two Slifers' attention. Looking down, they saw Chazz had just kicked the seat in front of him again. The force was enough that the cushion on the back came clear off.

"Dumb slacker! They just got lucky!" Chazz fumed angrily.

"What'd you think of that Chazz-baka? Told you they'd win!" Atsuko taunted. Angrily, the Obelisk student turned and his frown grew deeper and angrier. His anger was shared by one other as well.

"Oh come on! Doesn't this slacker ever lose?" Dr. Crowler sighed in defeat.

"Obviously it was because or your splendid teaching," Professor Banner praised as he petted Pharaoh, "Oh wait a second. They're in my dorm."

"Grr… I know that but how could they beat those two Rare Hunters after all the rare cards I gave them?" Dr. Crowler moaned angrily.

"Rare cards? What are you talking about Vellian?" Dr. Stratton asked suspiciously. Dr. Crowler winced as he got out of his seat.

"Um nothing… I've got some tests to grade," Dr. Crowler replied dismissively before walking out. Behind his back, Dr. Stratton and Professor Banner shared a smile. On the arena floor, Syrus looked up at Zane. The older brother was smiling a little before he walked away.

 _Zane, I'd like to think that I impressed you… That I proved I have a right to be here and become a good duelist. I know I have a lot to learn but I'm glad I took this first step. I get to stay with my friends at Duel Academy._ Syrus reflected. Up in the stands, his friends were just as impressed.

"Well well, they're impressing more and more every day," Bastion smiled.

"I'm just glad Jaden gets to stay here at the academy," Alexis sighed in relief.

"You mean Jaden and Syrus?" Bastion corrected.

"Well yeah, Syrus too. What I meant was… Moving on," Alexis cutting off her sentence. Lynn smirked.

"I see our blond, brown-eyed friend is developing a crush for a certain Slifer," Valkyria grinned.

"Got that right," Lynn replied as Jaden and Syrus bumped fists, _I'm glad they're staying. After all, it wouldn't be the same around here without them._

"Nice job you two," Chancellor Sheppard praised as he walked up to them, "Per the arrangement of this match, you two shall be permitted to remain at Duel Academy."

"Thanks Chancellor Sheppard," Jaden said, before looking back to the two Rare Hunters, "Oh by the way guys. Thanks for the sweet duel. If you ever like a rematch when you get out of jail, just give me a call you hear?" Lumis and Umbra looked surprised at the Slifer's comment.

"Perhaps we will. Until next time," Lumis agreed.

"We shall meet again," Umbra promised before the generators cut off and the holograms vanished.

"Glad that's over. I'm ready to get back to class," Syrus said.

"Glad you mentioned that," Dr. Stratton cut in, "Since you two enjoyed yourself so much, I expect a paper from the both of you about his experience."

"A paper? Seriously?" Jaden groaned.

"Yes. I think ten pages a piece will suffice," Dr. Stratton elaborated, "You will write about this adventure from breaking into the dorm right up to this duel with Lumis and Umbra. You should have plenty of content to work with."

"Ten pages?! I've never had to write a paper that big before. That's torture right there!" Jaden complained.

"Yeah why do we have to write a paper now? We won the right to stay at Duel Academy," Syrus protested.

"This time you did but we can't have you two, or anyone else, thinking you can avoid punishment by dueling. I want those papers by Friday," Dr. Stratton insisted, looking up where Lynn and Alexis were sitting, "Perhaps your friends can help you?" The two Slifers sighed in defeat.

"Poor Jaden. I think we better help him out," Lynn grinned.

"Yeah I agree," Alexis consented as she looked down at the brown-haired Slifer, _it's the least we can do after I got them into this mess._


	11. Equation for Success

With the punishment duel past them, Jaden and his friends were in the middle of a game of the great American pastime baseball. The boys and girls were split into two teams with Jaden captaining one and Lucia leading the other. The Ra Yellow statistician was presently on the pitcher's mound as Jaden took to the plate with bat in hand. A confident smirk was on his face as his gaze went to the scoreboard. His team was presently ahead by three runs. The bases were loaded and his team presently had no outs.

"Statistically speaking, we're royally screwed," Lucia sighed as she pondered her team's position, "I can't seem to throw a ball that baffles these guys enough to…"

"Hey Lucia! You might want to start running after I hit this ball because it's going out of here," Jaden grinned cockily as he confidently pointed his bat towards the centerfield fence, _once I hit this thing out of the park, we're going to have a seven-run lead._

"Maybe I should have thought my choice of players through a little more thoroughly before we started," Lucia lamented as she took a pitcher's stance.

"Hold on! Wait!" A new voice interrupted. The players turned and saw Bastion running in.

"Apologies for the wait. I was caught up in some attack point quantum theory mechanics and lost track of time," Bastion apologized as he grabbed a mitt from Lucia's team's bench.

"Can you throw?" One of the students asked. Bastion nodded.

"Pitcher change! Lucia, come on back!" The same Ra called. Lucia sighed with relief as the genius took her place and the ball from her. Seeing that there was a new pitcher in play, Jaden got serious.

"This is no written exam Bastion! Give me all you got!" Jaden challenged as he took a batter's stance.

"But of course. I hope you're ready for some heat," Bastion agreed. Tightening his grip on the ball, he quickly hurled it towards Jaden. The ball slipped right past him and comfortably into the catcher's glove.

"Strike one!" Ms. Fontaine, who was playing umpire, called.

"Not bad Bastion," Jaden mumbled as the ball got back to his friend. Both players took their stances once more and Bastion pitched again. The ball curved and Jaden missed again.

"Strike two!" Ms. Fontaine shouted.

"Alright, now it's on," Jaden growled as Bastion got the ball back. Bastion smirked as he threw the ball one more time and Jaden swung. To his horror, he missed completely as the ball landed in the catcher's mitt again.

"Strike three! You're out!" Ms. Fontaine declared.

"Nuts!" Jaden's cursed as he stormed back to the dugout. With a skilled pitcher on her team now, Lucia's team quickly managed to turn things around. Soon Lucia's team was taking their turn at bat with Jaden on the mound. Jaden took his frustration out on the girl's batters as he quickly got two batters out. Then to the surprise of his team, he let the quality of his pitches slip.

"Time out!" Syrus called after the third batter from Lucia's team took a base. Jaden and Syrus gathered the players of his team around the pitcher's mound.

"Jaden what's up?" Syrus asked, "You struck out the first two batters and let the last three walk."

"I know. Pretty sweet huh?" Jaden grinned.

"Sweet? What are you talking about?" Atsuko, his team's second baseman, asked.

"I did that so I could pitch Bastion next," Jaden replied as he looked up and saw the Ra Yellow genius take the plate.

"What? You let all those players walk just so you could get even with Bastion?" Syrus asked incredulously.

"Oh, I don't want to get even. I want to get ahead," Jaden said confidently.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Jaden-kun? This is the last inning for them. If they hit a home run now, we're going to lose the game," Atsuko cautioned, glancing back at the scoreboard.

"Don't worry guys. I'm not going to let you down. Now let's do this," Jaden urged. Reluctantly, his team went back to their positions.

"I'm flattered that you wanted to pitch for me Jaden but that's a mistake you're going to regret," Bastion remarked as he took his stance, "Now give me your best shot Jaden. That is if you can even get the ball over the plate."

"You want it? You got it!" Jaden called back as he pitched his fastest curveball. The Ra grinned as he swung as was rewarded with satisfying cracking sound of his bat hitting the ball. Jaden's jaw dropped as the ball soared high over the field. At the same time in the bleachers above the gymnasium, Dr. Stratton and Dr. Crowler were in the middle of a discussion of their own.

"...So that resolves that issue. Now about that student you were talking about... You said you had some concerns about Chazz?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"Yes. I find that his performance of late has been rather lacking. Aside from his average grades, his dueling performance is quite abysmal. It's a shame really. The boy had such high dueling grades when he first arrived," Dr. Crowler sighed as he looked over his tablet notes.

"I agree Vellian. I also find Chazz's performance somewhat lacking in the classroom," Dr. Stratton concurred. Their discussion however was interrupted by a baseball hitting Crowler in the face. The doctor cried out in pain and surprise as the forced knocked him into a storage locker of sporting equipment that was lying nearby.

"Vellian! Are you alright?" Dr. Stratton asked worryingly as he knelt down to his fellow staff member. The ball had struck him in the left eye socket and was presently wedged there.

"Heads up!" Atsuko called as she ran up to them with Jaden and Syrus at her heels. When the Slifers saw Dr. Crowler's condition, they freaked out in surprise.

"YOU! Of course! Who else would cause me such intense pain?!" Dr. Crowler lashed out angrily.

"That's keeping your eye on the ball," Syrus said as Dr. Crowler pulled the ball loose.

"Sorry," Jaden apologized, "I threw the ball…"

"Wait! It's my fault!" Bastion called as he and Lucia ran up to them, "I was the one who hit it. Dr. Crowler, please accept my apologies."

"Oh it's alright. I've been meaning to have my contacts refitted for ages and now I have the perfect excuse," Dr. Crowler said dismissively, _and a new lackey to help me deal with that slacker Jaden._

"Your appearance is good timing Bastion. We need to have a talk with you," Dr. Stratton said.

"With me? What have I done?" Bastion asked nervously.

"We'll discuss that shortly," Dr. Stratton assured him, his gaze going to the onlooking Slifers, "Alone." Taking the hint, Lucia led the Slifers away.

 **Chapter Eleven: Equation for Success**

Later in one of the classrooms, Chazz sauntered in and immediately took a seat near the top of the classroom. Grinning, he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk. Looking over at a couple other Obelisk Blue freshmen, he snapped his fingers.

"You two, foot rub and an ice tea, pronto," Chazz ordered.

"Get it yourself," The Obelisk snapped.

"What did you say?" Chazz asked angrily, "Tell me again, I don't think I heard you." Lynn walked by and took a seat in the row above.

"Chazz, what are you doing?" Lynn asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm sitting in my seat," Chazz snapped, looking up to her.

"The seating arrangement was changed today. You don't sit there anymore," The Obelisk male said.

"Moron, this seat is mine. I have my name right… here?" Chazz gasped, pointing to a blank spot on his desk, "What gives? Where's my nametag?"

"It was moved over there to your new seat," The Obelisk said, pointing to the lower rows where the Slifer Red and Ra Yellow students sat.

"No way! This has to be a mistake! The next world champ shouldn't sit with slackers," Chazz protested as Dr. Crowler walked in. Spotting him, Chazz looked down at him hopefully.

"Dr. Crowler, tell everybody they're wrong. I should be sitting here," Chazz declared, "Not with the losers."

"I wouldn't say that Chazz. After all, you've lost to many students now including Jaden Yuki and Atsuko Fujibayashi. _Two Slifers!_ After much discussion with Dr. Stratton, we've decided that you will duel Bastion Misawa and if you lose to him as well, you'll both switch dorms!" Dr. Crowler shouted angrily.

"What? You mean I could become a Ra Yellow duelist?" Chazz asked fearfully.

"Why yes, you could _if you lose_. Do you not believe yourself up to the challenge?" Dr. Crowler asked snidely. Many of the students began to chuckle at Chazz's plight.

"I won't lose to some Ra!" Chazz shouted angrily.

"Then take your new seat… for now. We have much to discuss," Dr. Crowler ordered, pointing to Chazz's new seat. Grumbling in embarrassment, Chazz packed his bag up and immediately moved down to the lower rows. As she watched him unpack, Lynn couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

"Poor Chazz. I can understand wanting to test him but embarrassing him like this in front of the whole class? Dr. Crowler's being a little cruel," Lynn said quietly as her duel spirit appeared in the seat next to her.

"Maybe but Chazz hasn't exactly lived up to his Obelisk Blue blazer and the requirements for wearing it," Valkyria reminded her, "Remember what your friends said. Only rich people and top duelists in school can wear a blue blazer. Chazz may be rich but he's no top duelist." Before the discussion could continue, the smartboard in the classroom came to life as Dr. Crowler addressed his students.

"Alright everyone. Let's begin class with a quick review. Somebody tell me the three formats of Duel Monsters used today in professional dueling," Dr. Crowler ordered, looking to the students. One Ra raised his hand, "Yes you there."

"The three known formats today are speed, advanced and master," The Ra listed off.

"Very good. Somebody tell me how many life points you have in each," Dr. Crowler promoted, selecting an Obelisk this time, "Yes?"

"In speed and advanced, you duel with 4000 life points but in master dueling, you duel with 8000," The Obelisk replied.

"Excellent. In which of the three formats can monsters be summoned in face up defense position?" Dr. Crowler asked, looking to a Slifer.

"That would be advanced," The Slifer said.

"Well done. Now which format incorporates the use of skills?" Dr. Crowler continued, looking again at the Obelisks.

"That would be speed dueling," The Obelisk said, "But Dr. Crowler, why are we going over formats?"

"Excellent question. Up to this point, duels on campus have been fought according to the advanced rules but starting today, duels may now be fought in speed and master formats," Dr. Crowler explained, looking at Chazz in particular, "For those of you struggling with your game, I encourage you to try these formats as well…" Chazz winced as he looked down at his notes.

 _Lousy Crowler… I'll show him a thing or two._ Chazz swore angrily. On another part of the campus, Jaden, Syrus, Lucia, Bastion and Atsuko were walking along the pathways towards the Ra Yellow dorm.

"I'm not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to sports but hitting the ball over the center of the fence... Doesn't that usually mean you score a home run?" Syrus asked. The boys grinned knowingly as Jaden frowned in anger at being wrong.

"Give it up Jaden-kun. Misawa-san had you back there," Atsuko said patting the Slifer on the back, "Though how he beat your fastball is beyond me." Bastion pulled his bat out of his bag and held it up. Upon closer inspection, one could see mathematical formulas scribbled on its surface.

"That's simple Atsuko. I play like I duel - With formulas. I believe science, mathematics, chemistry, physics... They all play a role in our daily lives," Bastion explained.

"I never really thought about it that way before," Jaden admitted as they entered the Ra Yellow dorm.

"Does that mean you have a formula for everything?" Syrus asked. Bastion laughed as the group were led into a bedroom where the room's walls were littered with even more formulas.

"You might say that," Bastion replied modestly.

"Geez Bastion. You ever hear of cloud storage?" Lucia asked, "If my father saw your room, he'd be furious with you for writing on the walls."

"Your father is the reason I called you all here. He _did_ see my walls and has requested I clean them up. Do you mind helping me out?" Bastion asked, gesturing to a pile of cleaning supplies nestled in the corner. In minutes, the teens had moved Bastion's furniture out into the hallway and were scrubbing and painting over his old formulas. In the center of the room, Jaden stood on a step ladder and was painting the ceiling.

"Hey check me out! I'm Michelangelo!" Jaden laughed. Laughter filled the room at Jaden's joke.

"Get it? Because I'm painting on the ceiling!" Jaden chuckled when he began to lose his balance on the ladder. Panicking, he accidently threw his brush and struck Syrus in the face with it. Paint splattered in the Slifer's surprised face. Seeing his friend all messy, Jaden couldn't help but laugh at his friend's predicament.

"You do realize this means war Jay," Syrus said deadpanned as he reached for his paint bucket.

"Come on Sy. It was an accident!" Jaden pleaded but that didn't stop his friend from rearing back with the bucket. Crying out in fright, Jaden leapt into the air and barely avoided a wave of paint.

"Now see here! Give me that paint… Bleck!" Bastion guffawed as Syrus's paint struck him in the face. Jaden landed firmly on the ground and immediately laughed at his friend's white face.

"Funny, is it?" Bastion demanded angrily. He tossed his paint rag and struck Jaden in the face. The girls howled in laughter at the boys' faces and their paint-covered forms. Seeing that the two girls were unblemished, the three boys looked at one another and grinned as they grabbed their paint buckets and implements.

"Uh what are you doing?" Lucia asked nervously.

"Guess!" Jaden grinned as he tossed a paint soaked rag. It struck Atsuko in the face as Bastion and Lucia began to swordfight with their paintbrushes. Syrus quickly got in as he hurled the rest of his paint bucket and the two girls were doused in white paint. For several minutes, paint and rags soaked with the stuff were hurled back and forth until there was little left. Eventually, a ceasefire was called and the work was completed. The group showered off and were soon dining in the Ra Yellow meal hall. Unlike the other two dorms, this one was cafeteria style similar to the one in the main building.

"I never had so much fun painting," Jaden grinned as he dug into his meal, "Bastion, Lucia, you two are alright."

"Yeah and so is Ra Yellow's food," Syrus agreed.

"You flatter us," Bastion said as he brought over a lobster dinner, "But I'm sure it's not much better than Slifer."

"You'd be wrong there Misawa-san," Atsuko disagreed as she took a helping for herself, "The closest thing we get to seafood is the fish Banner-sensei feeds his cat."

"Speaking of teachers, what did Dr. Crowler and Dr. Stratton want to discuss with you?" Syrus asked.

"They want me to test to become an Obelisk Blue," Bastion replied.

"Are you serious?" Syrus asked shockingly.

"It's true. Word has it that Chazz's constant losing to lower level students and his poor performance in class has been grating on Dr. Crowler's nerves," Lucia explained, "And my father's. They both agreed to test Chazz's worthiness to remain in Obelisk Blue."

"Hence why you asked us to clean your room," Atsuko guessed, "You were cleaning it in hopes that you and Chazz-baka will change dorms." Bastion looked a little chagrined at the comment.

"You deserve it Bastion. Congratulations," Jaden smiled.

"Well thank you," Bastion replied modestly, "But I still have to win before I can earn my promotion."

"With skills as weak as Chazz's, I calculate you'll barely have to break a sweat," Lucia grinned, "Since his arrival, Chazz hasn't impressed anyone with his dueling."

"Almost makes you wonder what he's doing to get ready," Syrus remarked.

"If he's planning to get ready…" Jaden agreed as he dug back into his meal. As dusk fell on the island, Chazz was back in his dorm room. His laptop was connected to his HD TV, the screen split down the middle with two older men on screen. The one on the left has sharply cut brown hair and a pale face. The other on the right has his black hair slicked back, a trim beard covering his chin. Despite the sharp suits they wore, Chazz knew them well.

"Got it Chazz?" The man on the right asked.

"Yeah Slade, I get it," Chazz mumbled.

"We can't hear you," Jagger frowned.

"I said I get it Jagger," Chazz snapped angrily, "What else do I have to do to make you two understand?"

"I'll say it again Chazz. We've completed our ends of the deal. Now everything falls to you," Slade reminded him.

"Yeah. We're already dominant powers in politics and finance. If you control Duel Monsters, the Princeton family will have the means to control the entire world. The entire future of this family now relies on you," Jagger added.

"Now go be the best, no matter what," Slade ordered before cutting the connection.

"Be the best... How can I be the best with losers like that around?" Chazz frowned, thinking upon his previous defeats. He stepped onto his balcony and from it, he could see Jaden leading Bastion and the others to the Slifer dorm.

 _Bastion's heading to the Slifer dorm for the night? That means his room's empty..._ Chazz thought before looking back to his scattered cards on his coffee table. Since the announcement, Chazz had gotten all of his cards and was frantically reworking his deck to compensate for the new rules. Unfortunately, a lot of his old strategies weren't going to work with what he currently had for cards.

 _I don't have time to rework my deck completely and not enough time to shop for new cards. Guess I'll have to take drastic measures…_ Chazz frowned as he returned to working on his deck. Another hour of work later, Chazz slipped his deck into its case and set his alarm for early in the morning. He settled into bed for a few hours until his clock woke him up shy of five in the morning. Quickly getting dressed, Chazz went over to the Ra Yellow dorm. With everyone still asleep, Chazz easily entered and went upstairs to Bastion's room. Furniture was strewn around in the hallway including his desk. Chazz began opening the drawers and was rewarded with a deck.

 _Gotcha… Without a deck, there isn't going to be a duel._ Chazz grinned as he swiftly sifted through the cards. Before he could turn to leave, the slamming of a door got his attention. Lucia was walking out of her own room garbed in a yellow and black tracksuit with a backpack over her shoulder.

"Nothing like a morning run to wake you up before your next study session," Lucia grinned as she stretched her arms over her head. She turned to walk down the hall when she saw Chazz next to Bastion's desk. A terse moment of uneasy silence filled the hallway as the two duelists' eyes met. Seeing Chazz standing next to an open desk drawer with a deck in hand, Lucia quickly frowned.

"Hey! What are you doing here Chazz? Those cards don't belong to you!" Lucia asked angrily. The Obelisk chose not to respond. Instead, he turned and ran the opposite direction.

"Where do you think you're going? Get back here with those cards!" Lucia repeated as she hastily followed him. With the Ra nipping at his heels, Chazz ran out of the Ra dorm towards the docks.

 _Aw come on! Why'd the bookworm have to be an early bird?_ Chazz swore angrily as the docks came into view. An early morning fog still enshrouded the area as he stepped onto the docks. Looking at the cards in his hands, he turned his gaze towards the water.

"Alright, time to teach Bastion why you don't mess with the Chazz," Chazz mumbled as he drew his arm back.

"Stop right there!" Lucia ordered as she scampered up to him, "Those cards belong to Bastion! Give them back right now or you're going to be sorry!" Chazz gritted his teeth in anger. With his hand having been caught in the cookie jar, he couldn't deny what he'd done.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you make me?" Chazz challenged. Lucia responded by removing her backpack and pulling out two duel disks.

"Fine I will," Lucia offered, tossing one at Chazz's feet, "Let's duel. If I win, you give back those cards you stole. If I lose, you get to throw them away." Chazz looked down at the duel disk and promptly picked it up.

"Fine by me. The Chazz fears no challenger," Chazz grinned confidently as he slid the duel disk onto his arm and put his deck in it, "Crushing you in a master duel'll be a nice warmup before I take on that loser Bastion."

"Warmup huh? I'll turn up the heat up so high you won't be able to stand it," Lucia agreed as she put her deck into her own duel disk.

"Duel!"

 **Chazz's LP: 8000**

 **Lucia's LP: 8000**

"The first move's mine and I'll start things off with my Chthonian Soldier in attack mode (ATK: 1200) and a facedown. That'll do for now," Chazz said as his familiar warrior appeared alongside a hidden card.

"According to my statistics, you've led with that same opening move in eighty-percent of your duels," Lucia recited as she drew a card, "And I've already calculated how to overcome it. I set two cards facedown and activate the field spell Dusk Dragon Square." Lucia's three cards materialized as the docks area changed to a shrine of stone. In each of its four corners was a statue of a black dragon in an aggressive stance.

"I don't see how four statues can make me run scared," Chazz grinned cockily.

"Patience Chazz. My move isn't done. I summon Nohrian Mercenary Selena," Lucia continued as a red-haired woman in full leather armor appeared on her field brandishing a sword (ATK: 1800), "Now I'll use her effect. It allows me to draw one card and keep it if it's a Nohrian monster." Flipping the top card off her deck, Lucia grinned.

"The card I've drawn is Nohrian Prince Corrin so I get to keep it," Lucia said.

"Keep it if you want. You can't summon it right now anyway," Chazz said dismissively, "And with my setup, I'm not worried at all."

"I'm not worried either. I could destroy your monster now, but I'll spare my life points the damage and end my turn here without attacking," Lucia concluded when her four statues began to glow with black light, "And with the end phase having arrived, my field spell's effect activates. For each Nohrian monster I control, you have to send a card from your deck to your graveyard." Chazz frowned in anger as he sent a card away.

"Removing one of my cards won't stop me. I sacrifice Chthonian Soldier to advance summon Chthonian Emperor Dragon (ATK: 2400)," Chazz declared as his soldier vanished in favor for his green-scaled dragon, Next, I'll use Call of the Haunted to special summon Chthonian Soldier from the graveyard and since you said I'll do it, I'll use the spell card Inferno Reckless Summon to call two more Chthonian Soldiers from my deck." Chazz laughed haughtily as the three fiendish knights appeared alongside his dragon (ATK: 1200 X 3).

"Now Emperor Dragon destroy Selena. Emperor flame attack!" Chazz ordered as flames gathered at his beast's mouth.

"Your attack triggers my continuous trap card, Wartime Weariness," Lucia cut in as one of her cards flipped open.

"That won't stop my attack!" Chazz grinned as his dragon's fire burned away Lucia's mercenary.

 **Lucia's LP: 8000-7400**

"Maybe but I expected that move. I'm activating my trap card Darkfire Flare!" Lucia countered, as a pillar of black fire erupted on her side of the field, "When a Nohrian monster is defeated, I can special summon another level four or lower Nohrian monster from my deck to the field in face up attack position. I'll use that effect to special summon Nohrian Cavalier Peri." From the flames came a girl mounted on a horse with black armor. She had crimson eyes and wild blue-pink hair tied in two sloppy pigtails (ATK: 1400).

"Whatever. I end my turn," Chazz concluded.

"Good. With your turn at an end, my trap card's effect kicks in. For every attack you launched this turn, you send a card from your deck to the graveyard. And let's not forget my field spell. You lose another card because I have a Nohrian monster in play," Lucia pointed out as two cards vanished from his deck.

"Now it's my turn. I activate Peri's ability. When I advance summon a Nohrian monster, I can treat Peri as two tributes. I'll give her up and advance summon Nohrian Prince Corrin," Lucia declared as her cavalier vanished in place of a new monster. Garbed in black and silver metal armor with a blue cape, his blond hair (ATK: 2500).

"Additionally, when Peri is sacrificed with her effect, you lose one more card out of your deck," Lucia continued as another card vanished from Chazz's deck, "And I'm not stopping there. I equip Dark Blade Ganglari to Corrin and have him attack your dragon!" A twisted purple sword appeared in her warrior's hand. Brandishing it, the knight charged in and buried it in the beast's chest. The dragon roared in pain as black lightning shot out of its body and caused it to explode.

"My dragon!" Chazz gasped as he looked at his life point counter. Despite his monster being weaker, he had lost no life points.

"Don't feel too bad. My spell prevents me from harming your life points, but it does let me send three cards from your deck to the graveyard when my monster destroys one of yours," Lucia grinned as three more of Chazz's cards vanished, "Of course, if my sword is still in play after three turns, I'll lose 2000 life points for using it. Next, I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn. With the end phase having arrived, I lose one card from my deck due to Wartime Weariness and you lose one card from your deck due to my field spell." Chazz frowned in anger as both players' decks got a little smaller.

"Yeah whatever. I play the equip spell Chthonian Alliance. This spell card increases my monster's attack points by 800 for each monster on the field that shares the same name as him," Chazz explained as the center Chthonian Soldier grew in size and power.

Chthonian Soldier (ATK: 1200-3600)

"Now that he's powered up, Chthonian Soldier attack! Dethrone her prince!" Chazz ordered. His biggest Chthonian roared in challenge as it charged at Lucia's sole monster.

"I calculated you'd do that so I set up this trap card. I activate Earth Dragon Vein! Since I have a Nohrian royal on my field, I can switch all of your monsters to defense mode," Lucia countered as a brown aura surrounded her prince. Channeling his strength, he created an earthquake that forced all of Chazz's monsters to take a knee (DEF: 1400).

"Not only that, for each monster that changed battle modes, you send one card from your deck to the graveyard. Three monsters changed modes so you lose three more cards from your deck," Lucia warned as Chazz's deck got even smaller, "And with your turn over, you have to send another card from your deck to the graveyard due to my Dusk Dragon Square field spell."

"Whatever. I still have more monsters and life points than you do," Chazz said dismissively, _except she's not targeting either. Her deck's all about targeting my cards._

"We'll see about that. I summon Nohrian Fighter Arthur in attack mode!" Lucia announced as another leather-clad, blond monster emerged on her field. This one grinned broadly with shining teeth and carried a battle axe (ATK: 2300).

"Now Arthur and Corrin, destroy the two Chthonians with equip spells!" Lucia ordered. Both of her monsters rushed in and quickly cut down one of the biggest Chthonians and one of its smaller cousins.

"Now that Corrin destroyed one of your Chthonians, my sword's effect activates and causes you to lose three more cards from your deck," Lucia said as she placed a spell card in her duel disk, "and with that effect resolved, I'll play Spoils of Victory. This spell cards lets me draw a card for each monster I destroyed in battle this turn." As Chazz's cards vanished from his deck, Lucia drew two more cards.

"Now that I have the cards I need, I'll bring about my end phase. With this, I lose two cards from my deck due to Wartime Weariness and you lose two more cards due to my field spell's effect," Lucia concluded as she and Chazz both discarded cards from their decks.

"It's my turn now and I'll activate the equip spell Symbols of Duty. It lets me special summon a normal monster from my graveyard. Since Chthonian Emperor Dragon is a normal monster when he's in my graveyard, I can call him out without a problem," Chazz said as his dragon reemerged on the field (ATK: 2400).

"Aiming to give your dragon another chance? That would be a waste since Corrin is stronger," Lucia pointed out.

"Don't be so sure. Who says I'm keeping him? I'll sacrifice my dragon and all the cards in my hand to call out my most powerful monster!" Chazz smirked as he discarded all his cards. A fierce explosion shook the docks as a massive black worm monster emerged on the field, a Chthonian Soldier sticking out of its forehead (ATK: 2800).

"Meet the Infernal Incinerator! He gains 200 attack points for every monster on your field," Chazz continued as his monster powered up.

Infernal Incinerator (ATK: 2800-3200)

"3200 attack points… That makes him more powerful than either of my monsters," Lucia frowned.

"That's right! Time to show you why it's dangerous to play with fire! Infernal Incinerator destroy Arthur! Firestorm blast!" Chazz ordered. The beast roared as a flame blast erupted from its jaw and consumed the blond axe-wielder.

 **Lucia's LP: 7400-6500**

"How'd you like that? Your monster's toast," Chazz grinned as his monster's strength reduced a little.

Infernal Incinerator (ATK: 3200-3000)

"Maybe but now that your turn is over, my field spell and my trap card kick in, forcing you to send two more cards from your deck to your graveyard," Lucia reminded him as her two cards glowed with their effects once more and Chazz sent two more of his cards away.

"Yeah whatever. I still have the strongest monster on my field and your life points will soon be history," Chazz said dismissively, "You might as well call it game." Lucia drew a card and frowned at it.

"This isn't over. I switch Corrin to defense mode (DEF: 2100)," Lucia said as her monster took a defensive stance, "Then I'll throw down two facedowns and end my turn." It was then her monster's sword shattered.

"Don't forget. Three turns have passed since you played your sword. Now it's gone and you lose 2000 life points for using it," Chazz warned as the damage set in.

 **Lucia's LP: 6500-4500**

"And don't _you_ forget Chazz. Thanks to my field, you have to send a card from your deck to the graveyard," Lucia countered as Chazz's deck got even smaller, "And with my last move, your deck's fighting power has been reduced to twenty-five percent."

"Twenty-five percent?" Chazz asked, looking down at his deck.

"Yeah because your forty-card deck has only ten cards left. Better make the most of them," Lucia grinned.

 _She's trying to make the Chazz deck out!_ Chazz frowned as he drew a card. _I've got to make this move count and this card'll do just that._

"Oh I will and then some! I activate Shield Crush! This spell card allows me to destroy any monster hiding in defense mode so say goodbye to your Prince Charming," Chazz said as he slotted in his sole card. A beam of green light fired towards Lucia's monster.

"Finally, a good move but that won't stop my trap card! I activate Lightning Dragon Vein! If I control a Nohrian royal on my field, this card destroys four cards in your deck," Lucia countered as one of her two facedowns flipped up and countered with a surge of lightning. The two beams soared past each other, one striking Chazz's duel disk, the other Lucia's monster. Both duelists grimaced as both suffered damage to their deck and field respectively.

"You may have whittled my deck down further but my Infernal Incinerator can still lay a beating on your life points," Chazz warned as his monster's strength changed once again.

Infernal Incinerator (ATK: 3000-2800)

Despite its lowered strength, the creature roared with power as it launched a storm of flames that struck Lucia with enough force to knock her off her feet.

 **Lucia's LP: 4500-1700**

"I end my turn," Chazz concluded.

"But not before my trap card kicks in again. You lose one more card for attacking me," Lucia cautioned as Chazz's deck was whittled down by yet another card.

"Tch. Whatever. I've got a monster with 2800 attack points and you've only got 1700 life points. On my next turn, I'll wipe you out," Chazz vowed, _it'll have to be my next turn since I'm almost out of cards._

"With your deck down to four cards? I wouldn't take any bets on that happening," Lucia said as she drew, "I activate the spell card Magic Planter! I'll send my Wartime Weariness card to the graveyard and I get to draw two cards. Then I'll summon Nohrian Princess Azura." Lucia's trap card vanished and in its place, a new monster appeared. A fair, blue-haired maiden in an elaborate purple and black dancer's outfit appeared on her field. The lower half of her face was concealed by a veil and she walked barefoot as she stepped towards Chazz (ATK: 0).

"Zero attack points? I think you miscalculated. She's no threat to my Infernal Incinerator," Chazz scoffed.

"You still haven't learned, have you? Just because her attack points are zero doesn't mean she can't beat you," Lucia lectured.

"Oh really? Show me then. How's a monster with no attack points going to beat me?" Chazz asked cockily.

"Easy. I'm going to pair her up with my final trap card," Lucia announced as her final trap card flipped open, "I activate Strange Dragon Vein! With this card out, I can banish Azura from my field and reactivate the effect of a Dragon Vein trap card with a different name in my graveyard."

"A Dragon Vein trap card in your graveyard…? You don't mean?" Chazz gasped as Azura glowed with a multi-color aura.

"That's right! I reactivate the trap card Lightning Dragon Vein. This trap card destroys four cards in your deck," Lucia announced as the colored aura changed to a yellow one, "And if my calculations are correct, those four cards are your _last_." Channeling this power, Azura fired a bolt of lightning that struck Chazz's duel disk. It sparked wildly as Azura faded from the field.

"No, my cards!" Chazz howled as the last of his deck vanished into his graveyard.

"Guess there's not much more I can do. I end my turn and this duel," Lucia concluded as the holograms faded, "Since your deck is empty, you can't draw and that means I win." Chazz clenched his fists in anger as he stared down at his now empty duel disk. DECK OUT flashed on the screen of his duel disk.

 _I can't believe this. I've lost again and to a Ra no less! When's the losing streak going to end?_ Chazz silently fumed.

"You've lost this duel Chazz. It's time you handed over that deck you stole," Lucia said as she walked towards him.

"Oh yeah? Who says I have to?" Chazz challenged as he pulled out the cards he had taken. Before she could move on him, Chazz discarded the cards into the water. Lucia looked out in shock as the waves consumed Bastion's cards.

"You _creep_!" Lucia roared in anger, "We had a deal!"

"Doesn't mean I have to keep it!" Chazz laughed, "Ha! Nobody's going to demote me to Ra Yellow!" His task complete, he dropped the duel disk and ran off into the morning fog.

"You dishonorable, Obelisk _coward_ … You'll pay for this," Lucia swore as the rising sun began to burn away the morning fog. Angrily, she kicked a rock off the docks into the water. She watched it hit the water but as she did, she saw something in the fog not far away. Looking across the water to the opposite dock, her eyes widened in surprise and hope. Hours later, Dr. Stratton and Dr. Crowler were with Chazz in the arena in the main building. Bastion walked in with Jaden, Syrus, Lucia and Atsuko right behind him.

"Ah Bastion, welcome," Dr. Stratton greeted.

"I see you've brought some friends with you," Dr. Crowler frowned, spotting the Slifers at the genius' heels.

"I hope you duel better than the company you keep," Chazz grinned.

"With what you did this morning Chazz, I'm surprised my dad is even letting you duel," Lucia fumed.

"Lucia? What do you mean?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"I was going out for a run this morning and caught Chazz red-handed stealing a deck from Bastion's desk. What's worse is that I chased him down and watched him throw it into the ocean," Lucia explained. The two doctors were surprised at the accusation.

"Chazz, is this true?" Dr. Stratton wondered.

"I don't know what she's talking about Dr. Stratton. I didn't do anything," Chazz said defensively.

"Oh, is that so?" A new voice challenged. All the people in the room turned and saw it was Alexis who had spoken, Zane and Lynn flanking her.

"We saw you Chazz. You threw them in the ocean and ran off with your tail between your legs," Alexis accused. The onlookers and teachers regarded Chazz with a new level of disgust.

"I wouldn't normally snitch but you don't mess with someone's deck," Alexis frowned.

"Yeah, that's low even for you Chazz," Jaden agreed.

"Oh come on. How do you know those cards I threw out weren't mine?" Chazz proposed, "Did it ever come into your heads that Bastion and I might have the same cards?"

"Not likely," Lucia said dismissively, "Seeing as how I chased you away from Bastion's room with your hand in his desk drawer… In the Ra dorm at five in the morning!" With each accusation, the two teachers frowned further but for different reasons. Dr. Stratton's eyes were filled with disgust, Dr. Crowler's with shock.

 _Could Chazz have really done this? I don't like slackers but even I wouldn't resort to something so heinous._ Dr. Crowler though to himself.

"Mr. Princeton, is this true?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"I don't know what she's talking about," Chazz replied evasively, "I spent the whole evening preparing for this match."

"You're lying Chazz. When you got to the docks, Lucia challenged you to a duel with Bastion's deck as the wager. You lost the match and were cowardly enough to throw them away anyway," Zane retorted.

"Ridiculous! There's no way you can prove I dueled this reject!" Chazz countered.

"Wrong again Chazz. Every school duel disk on the island is registered with the Duel Academy computer network. Every card and duel is logged. If someone were to check for a duel that was fought at five AM, I'm sure the school's records will confirm that we had our match," Lucia explained.

 _All duels are recorded on the network? That's not good._ Chazz winced at this. Dr. Stratton discreetly reached for his PDA and began to cycle through the data.

"I'll look into Zane's claim. Can you handle this Vellian?" Dr. Stratton whispered.

"Of course," Dr. Crowler agreed and Dr. Stratton stepped out of the way.

"Nobody calls me a liar and nobody calls me a cheat! It's not my fault Bastion didn't keep a better eye on his deck," Chazz snapped angrily. The two doctors in the room were both frowning at this point, both for different reasons. Dr. Crowler was disappointed in his student while Dr. Stratton was angry that one of his students had been victimized by a student who had to prove something.

"Fine then. You're not a cheat or a thief. Let's just have our duel," Bastion conceded.

"But your deck is waterlogged," Lucia protested as Bastion unbuttoned his blazer.

"That's not a problem. A good duelist always has a spare deck or a few of them. You saw all my different formulas. Well they were for all my different dueling decks!" Bastion explained, opening his blazer wide open, "And each one is more powerful than the next!" A homemade harness with six deck boxes was strapped to his chest. Popping one open, he yanked the deck out of it and slapped it into his duel disk.

"Fine. You can have your six stinking decks. I only need this one," Chazz said boldly, holding up his duel disk preloaded with his deck, "Now let's start this duel already." Bastion jumped up onto the arena floor as Chazz took his position on the opposite side.

"I thought you'd never agree Chazz," Bastion agreed.

"So bring it on!" Chazz challenged.

"Duel!"

 **Chazz's LP: 8000**

 **Bastion's LP: 8000**

"Alright, here comes the hurt! I summon Chthonian Soldier in attack mode. Then I'll throw down a facedown and end my turn," Chazz announced as his dark warrior emerged on the field alongside a card (ATK: 1200).

"This opening _again_? You'd think Chazz would try something different by now," Lynn remarked.

"Good show but my turn is now commencing. I activate the continuous spell Magnetic Attraction. Then I'll summon Beta the Electromagnet Warrior in attack mode," Bastion began as a bulky red monster with magnets for hands and feet along with an enlarged head appeared on his field (ATK: 1500).

"Now that I've called upon a monster, Magnetic Attraction's effect activates. It lets me special summons another magnet monster from my deck as long as it's a normal monster with a similar name," Bastion explained as his spell glowed. A beam of light erupted from Bastion's field and took the form of a yellow magnet monster with beady black eyes.

"That card's Beta the Magnet Warrior (ATK: 1700)," Lucia remarked.

"Must be throwback Thursday," Jaden grinned, "That's an old card."

"Yes but while this card has aged gracefully, I shall adhere to the rules of the modern era by activating Beta the Electromagnet Warrior's effect. It allows me to add another Magnet Warrior from my deck to my hand. I shall choose Magnet Warrior Sigma Minus," Bastion continued as he added another card to his hand, "And with that concluded, I commence my battle phase. Beta the Magnet Warrior destroy Chthonian Soldier! Magnetic punch!" The yellow monster floated quickly over to Chazz's creature and struck it in the chest destroying it.

"You just activated my Chthonian Soldier's special ability. When it's destroyed, we both take the same amount of damage to our life points," Chazz reminded as both players' life points went down.

 **Chazz's LP: 8000-7500**

 **Bastion's LP: 8000-7500**

"That won't mean anything in a moment. You're wide open after all," Bastion commented as his red monster moved towards Chazz.

"Don't think so you Ra reject! I pay 1000 life points to activate my trap card Soul Rope! With this I can special summon a level four or below monster from my deck. The card I choose is X-Head Cannon," Chazz countered as a blue machine monster with shoulder cannons and a spiked ball for legs appeared on his field (ATK: 1800). Spotting the stronger monster, the remaining Beta flew back to Bastion's side.

 **Chazz's LP: 7500-6500**

"I'll end by setting a facedown card," Bastion concluded as a card materialized behind his two magnet warriors.

"That Soul Rope card was new," Atsuko remarked, "But it doesn't help him much. Chazz-baka is still outnumbered two to one."

"I get the feeling that's going to change," Syrus frowned as Chazz drew a card.

"Since you've got a continuous spell, I'll activate one of my own. I activate Frontline Base. This card lets me summon a union monster from my hand along with my normal summon. I'll summon the Dark Blade (ATK: 1800) and uses Frontline Base's effect to special summon my Pitch-Dark Dragon (ATK: 900)," Chazz explained as a black armored knight with silver blades appeared on his field alongside a large black dragon.

"Three monsters… This is going to hurt," Lucia winced.

"Got that right! Time to bring the pain! Dark Blade destroy Beta the Electromagnet Warrior!" Chazz ordered. The black armored swordsman flew in and quickly removed the head of Bastion's red monster. The resulting explosion forced Bastion to shield his eyes.

 **Bastion's LP: 7500-7200**

"Now X-Head Cannon attacks Beta the Magnet Warrior! Cannon blast!" Chazz added as his blue monster fired a barrage that destroyed the classic monster.

 **Bastion's LP: 7200-7100**

"Now that you're wide open, Pitch-Dark Dragon attacks you directly," Chazz continued. His dragon launched a black fireball that struck Bastion head on.

 **Bastion's LP: 7100-6200**

"During main phase two, I'll use Pitch-Dark Dragon's ability. It can equip itself to Dark Blade and raise its attack points by 400," Chazz concluded as his knight mounted the dragon, "With that, I'll end my turn but with a 2200 attack point monster staring you down, you might as well quit now."

Dark Blade (ATK: 1800-2200)

"I don't see why Chazz is so confident. He's nearly depleted his hand with that last maneuver," Lynn remarked.

"Not only that, his monsters aren't compatible at all. X-Head Cannon and Dark Blade are monsters from two completely different deck styles. If he's trying to hybridize his deck, he's not doing a good job of it," Zane agreed, "He'd be better off working with one monster type or the other."

"Hybridize? What do you mean big bro?" Syrus asked.

"Just keep watching Syrus. You'll see what I mean in a moment," Zane replied.

"Good show Chazz but I have something better in mind. I'll start my turn by activating the trap card Shrapnel Blast! This card forces me to discard five cards from the top of my deck and then I can inflict 200 points of damage for each rock monster that is sent to the graveyard," Bastion began as his trap flipped open. As he drew out the cards, they materialized briefly on the field for everyone to see. There was Magnet Warrior Sigma Minus, the spell White Elephant's Gift, the trap Stronghold the Moving Fortress, Mine Golem and Gamma the Magnet Warrior.

"Since three of my cards are rock monsters, you take 600 points of damage," Bastion declared as he discarded the cards. Three explosions erupted around Chazz as his life points suffered from the effect damage.

 **Chazz's LP: 6500-5900**

"That's all? You're going to have to do better than that," Chazz sneered.

"Is that so? I can manage that. I summon Delta the Electromagent Warrior in attack mode," Bastion continued as a blue magnet monster composed of triangular body parts and magnets mounted on its head, hands and feet (ATK: 1600).

"Now for Delta's ability. I can send Alpha the Magnet Warrior from my deck to the graveyard," Bastion explained as his monster turned and aimed a magnetic hand at him. A blue wave of energy pulled a card from Bastion's deck before sending to his graveyard.

"Now that's taken care of, I can use another of Delta's abilities. I can banish three Magnet Warrior cards from my graveyard to special summon Valkyrion the Magna Warrior from my deck," Bastion said as Beta the Magnet Warrior appeared alongside a pink magnet monster with extendable arms and a gray one carrying a sword. The three broke apart into many pieces and the onlookers watched in amazement as they combined. With a silver body, a golden masked head and pink wings on its back, it swung its sword mightily, whipping up a shockwave as it landed on Bastion's field (ATK: 3500).

"What a sweet move! Now Chazz is the one who is in trouble," Jaden grinned.

"Now my mighty warrior, destroy X-Head Cannon! Magnet saber!" Bastion ordered. The magnetized monster quickly flew in and demolished Chazz's monster with one powerful slice. The shockwave from the attack was powerful enough to nearly blow Chazz off of his feet.

 **Chazz's LP: 5900-4200**

"I shall conclude my turn with two facedown cards," Bastion concluded as two more cards materialized on his field, "Well Chazz, how's that for doing better?" Chazz grimaced as he got back to his feet.

"Don't get cocky you Ra Reject. I'm not done with you yet! I summon another Chthonian Soldier in attack mode!" Chazz announced as another of his soldiers appeared on the field (ATK: 1200), "Then I'll send Dark Blade to destroy Delta!" Once more, his knight charged in and destroyed Bastion's blue magnet monster.

 **Bastion's LP: 6200-5600**

"Now Chthonian Soldier! Attack Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!" Chazz ordered, to the amazement of everyone watching.

"I think my ears need cleaning out. Did Chazz just order his Chthonian to attack a monster with nearly triple the strength of his own?" Lynn asked as the soldier charged in.

"Yeah why do that? His soldier's attack points are much too low," Syrus wondered too as the soldier was swiftly overpowered and struck down.

"Don't forget Syrus. Chthonian Soldier's effect forces both players to take the same amount of damage when he's destroyed in battle," Zane reminded sagely as both players suffered from Chazz's play.

 **Chazz's LP: 4200-1900**

 **Bastion's LP: 5600-3300**

"Could he be aiming for a tie?" Alexis asked, "You know, wiping out both player's life points at the same time?"

"As if! I just wanted my monster beaten so I can use this. During main phase two, I play the spell card Chthonian Blast! When one of my monsters is destroyed in battle, I can destroy one of your monsters and you take damage equal to half of its attack points!" Chazz answered as he slotted in his last card, "And since you only have one monster, guess your Magna Warrior has to go bye-bye!" Bastion cried out in fear as a line of explosions erupted from Chazz's spell card and consumed his magnet warrior and him in flames.

 **Bastion's LP: 3300-1850**

"Oh no! Bastion!" Jaden called out fearfully as the smoke faded.

"I'm OK," Bastion assured him as Chazz's turn ended, "A little shell shocked but OK."

"Oh you'll be more than shell shocked when my next turn comes around," Chazz grinned, "Better get out your calculator because if you can't beat me this turn, you're toast." Bastion drew a card and grinned. Seeing that his opponent didn't look the least bit worried, Chazz frowned.

"What're you smiling about?" Chazz demanded angrily, "You're pretty happy for a guy who lost his strongest monster."

"Losing Valkyrion was always a possibility but you depleting your own life points was something I didn't expect," Bastion admitted, "I had anticipated that it would take me at least two more turns to defeat you but you made things quite easy for me."

"Your calculator must be a few buttons short. My calculations tell me that without your best monster, you're all but finished," Chazz grinned.

"Then you better doublecheck your work because I've already done all the math," Bastion declared.

"All the math?" Dr. Crowler gasped, "Did he...?"

"Bastion had all this planned from the very start?" Jaden declared.

"You're bluffing!" Chazz countered, "Without your best card, you're all but done."

"Valkyrion is hardly my best card. I have cards far more useful than him. I don't need a powerful monster to defeat you. It's just the opposite," Bastion countered back as he drew a card.

"How can Bastion defeat Chazz without a powerful monster?" Lynn wondered.

"There's more than one way to inflict damage. Just watch," Zane advised sagely.

"I'll activate my trap card Rock Bombardment. This card sends a rock monster from my deck to the graveyard and inflicts 500 points of damage to your life points. I choose my Mine Golem," Bastion began as a rock monster with a landmine mounted in it appeared on his field briefly. A catapult appeared around it and quickly launched it at Chazz. The monster exploded on impact, shaking Chazz harshly.

 **Chazz's LP: 1900-1400**

"That all you got?" Chazz challenged.

"Hardly. Next, I'll summon Block Golem in attack mode," Bastion continued as a massive monster composed of Lego bricks and drills on its arms appeared on his field (ATK: 1000), "And then I'll use its special ability. By sacrificing it, I can special summon two level four or below rock monsters from my graveyard. I shall choose two Mine Golems!" The brick monster promptly shattered and in its place were two of Bastion's mine monsters (ATK: 1000 X 2).

"Ha! You can have a _hundred_ Mine Golems. None of them can defeat my powered up Dark Blade!" Chazz grinned, "Especially since their special abilities can't be used this turn."

"With this last facedown card, I won't have to. I activate the trap card Minefield Eruption. This trap card destroys both golems and inflicts 1000 points of damage for each one," Bastion explained as his final facedown card flipped open.

"1000 points for each?! I only have 1400 life points left!" Chazz realized as the mines on the golems' heads began to glow brightly, "No! This can't be happening."

"I'm sorry Chazz but you have lost," Bastion said with finality. The two golems lumbered over to Chazz and grabbed him in a bearhug. The Obelisk student cried out in fear as both monsters blew up and flung him off the stage.

 **Chazz's LP: 1400-0**

"Pure luck. You drew a lucky card and stumbled into the win," Chazz growled.

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Lucia retorted, "Bastion's a far better duelist and a far better man than you."

"There's no need to defend me Lucia. Perhaps it was luck but as they say, luck favors and the prepared and I was fully prepared to defeat you with at least a dozen other cards as well. But deny it if you wish, just like you deny throwing my deck into the ocean."

"Oh yeah? Let's see you prove it," Chazz challenged.

"If you insist," Bastion said as he reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a damp Vorse Raider card, a formula scribbled on its surface.

"Let me tell you how…" Bastion said as his own thoughts raced back to that moment hours before. He had been having breakfast in the Slifer dorm where he had crashed for the night. The boys were up in Jaden's room talking excitedly about the upcoming match with Chazz when there was heavy banging on Jaden's door.

"Jaden! Jaden!" A heavy female voice called. The Slifer opened the door and found Ms. Dorothy on the other side of it, breathless.

"Hey what's up Ms. Dorothy?" Jaden asked, "Is everything OK?"

"I was out unloading goods from the docks what I saw them. Cards tossed everywhere!" Ms. Dorothy gasped.

"Cards tossed?" Jaden asked worryingly.

"Yeah I heard some shouting as the cargo boat was coming in. I didn't who was out there but I saw a fiery explosion along the way. It looked and sounded like a duel was going on," Ms. Dorothy explained as Syrus and Bastion joined him.

"Can you show us?" Syrus asked. Ms. Dorothy nodded. A few minutes later the group was out where Lucia had dueled Bastion. The tide was out at the moment and cards could be seen littered among the rocks. Reaching down, Jaden could reach two of them and handed them to Syrus.

"Vorse Raider and Ring of Destruction… Bastion, don't you use these cards?" Syrus asked, holding them out to Bastion. A closer look showed mathematical formulas were etched on them.

"These cards were from a deck I kept stored in my desk," Bastion frowned.

"The same desk that we moved yesterday into the hall?" Jaden asked. Bastion nodded as he refocused his thought back to the present.

"Some of my cards had drifted back on to the rocks. This card has a formula written on it," Bastion explained, "by me."

"Oh really? How do you know I didn't write that formula?" Chazz challenged.

"Aside from the fact that the handwriting will match mine? If you wrote this formula, you should know what it's for," Bastion replied, "can you answer that? What does this formula on this card represent Chazz?" Chazz's eye twitched in nervousness.

"I don't have to answer that," Chazz said.

"Yeah you don't, considering you're a bold-faced liar," Dr. Stratton said back, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "I just checked the records with the academy database. You dueled Lucia at five AM this morning by the docks. Records indicate you lost but you say you never dueled at all. You know what that makes you?" Chazz frowned, realizing he was busted.

"It makes a you a _liar_. In light of the overwhelming evidence and your loss here today, you will be demoted to Ra Yellow effective immediately," Dr. Stratton declared, "But once I run this situation by Chancellor Sheppard, you'll be lucky if you even get to stay at _all_." To the amazement of all but Dr. Stratton, Chazz put his deck away and threw the duel disk at him in anger.

"Don't bother prepping a room for me. I've had it! If this school won't acknowledge the talent I have, I'll go somewhere that will!" Chazz fumed outrageously, before running out of the room.

"Fine by us. We don't want you here anyway," Lucia called, "You lousy, good for nothing..."

"Lucia…" Dr. Stratton interrupted dangerously.

"Sorry Father," Lucia replied sheepishly.

"As despicable as Chazz's actions were, we mustn't forget that this whole thing has brought out some good," Dr. Crowler said, stepping up onto the stage, "Bastion Misawa, you've more than proven your ability. Welcome to Obelisk Blue!"

"Thank you Dr. Crowler but I must decline your invitation," Bastion replied.

"What? But why?" Dr. Crowler asked.

"When I first arrived, I decided that if I didn't make Obelisk Blue at the start, I would only become an Obelisk once I became the number one duelist in the freshman class," Bastion explained before turning to face Jaden, "out of all the freshmen here, I believe you to be the number one duelist Jaden."

"Hey thanks. Does that mean you want to settle this right here?" Jaden asked eagerly, "Seeing you up here really made me want to get my game on."

"Sorry but not now," Bastion said, shaking his head.

"Huh? Why not?" Jaden asked perplexedly.

"Because I have a lot of work to do before I duel you. I have many formulas to write, theorems to solve, and equations to balance. You're an excellent duelist and I want to be ready. Soon my dorm room walls will be filled with new problems and equations and we will have our duel," Bastion promised. Another loud cough got the group's attention, once again made by Dr. Stratton.

"Ahem… As happy as I am that you're remaining in Ra Yellow Bastion, I believe I already wrote you up once for vandalizing school property. If you're going to do more formulating, do us a favor and get cloud storage for your computer," Dr. Stratton ordered exasperatedly. Bastion rubbed the back of his head nervously as his Slifer and Ra friends laughed.

"Uh yes sir," Bastion agreed, his gaze going to Jaden once more. The two duelists' gazes met and once could almost sense the eagerness and fighting spirits of both rising. Lynn however had other thoughts.

 _If Jaden's the number one duelist among the freshmen, I wonder where I rank?_ Lynn wondered, her left hand subconsciously going to her deck case. Unbeknownst to her, her case was glowing briefly. Had the discussion of the match not been going on, someone might have heard the low growling noise coming from Lynn's deck case…


	12. Copycat Conundrum Part One

A new day had dawned on Duel Academy. Lunchtime had come around once again and Lynn was sitting in her usual booth with Alexis and Mindy. They had their lunches with them but were all a little down at the moment.

"How'd you do on that traps test?" Lynn asked.

"I was confident on maybe about half the answers," Mindy replied.

"That's more than I was sure of," Alexis commented gloomily, "Say what you will about Dr. Crowler – He may be a decent teacher but he's a sadist when it comes to tests."

"Almost makes you afraid of midterms," Lynn agreed.

"Well at least we'll have something to look forward to when they're done," Jasmine greeted as she took a seat. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a flier. She placed it in the center of the table where her friends could see it. Depicted on it was a young man in his late thirties in a black outfit with a Kaiba Corp duel disk on his arm. His extravagant hair was arranged in a set of five large spikes and two smaller spikes colored black with a magenta sheen along the edges with long blond crooked locks at the fringe. His violet eyes were filled with confidence.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Lynn asked.

"Yugi and his deck are going on tour, and our school is the first stop," Jasmine explained.

"Yugi is coming here to Duel Academy? That's awesome!" Alexis exclaimed.

"Yup, he's coming as part of his new book tour and to advertise the new game he just developed with Industrial Illusions," Jasmine explained as she studied the flier.

"Great except this flier says we need tickets," Lynn remarked, "We should get down to the Card Shack and get them while we can." Jasmine reached into her pocket and pulled out four.

"Way ahead of you. That's why I was late," Jasmine said as she handed them to her friends.

"Thanks Jasmine," Lynn said gratefully as she put the ticket aside, "Did you have to wait long to get them?"

"There was a line forming when I got there. I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a ticket available by the end of day," Jasmine betted. She wasn't too far off. At this very moment, the Card Shack was buzzing with activity. Students in the room had gathered in along the walls as two duelists were locked in battle. Ms. Dorothy and her assistant were watching from behind the counter, eagerly awaiting to see who would win. Just as the match was about to resume, Jaden heard the commotion from nearby and walked in.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Jaden asked, pushing to the front of the room. As he got there, he saw Bastion and Lucia standing by.

"Hello Jaden. You're just in time for a lunchtime tussle," Bastion greeted.

"A duel? Who's throwing down?" Jaden asked eagerly. Looking to the left, he saw a skinny Ra Yellow student with brown spiky hair. His field was presently occupied with two facedown cards.

"Well the one on the left is Dimitri," Lucia introduced.

"I've never heard of him. Who's the other…?" Jaden asked, looking to the right. To his surprise, Dimitri's opponent was Syrus. His field had a red cartoonish jet monster.

"Huh? Syrus?" Jaden gasped. Spotting his best friend, Syrus walked over.

"Hey there Jay," Syrus greeted.

"What's going on Sy?" Jaden asked.

"A high stakes duel. Check it out," Syrus replied, pointing to the wall above the counter. Mounted on it were multiple posters of the King of Games in various poses.

"Yugi's deck is going on tour and the first stop is Duel Academy. Isn't that the coolest?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah it sure is. The original King of Games deck? To see with my very own eyes? I can't believe it," Jaden grinned, "It's a piece of history. Think about all the duels and opponents it's seen. Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, the KC Grand Prix… Man, we've got to go see it when it gets here."

"Yeah and while it won't have the Egyptian God cards, it'll still have all the classics!" Syrus explained, "I can't wait. It's going to be the neatest thing ever. We have to go. We _gotta_ go."

"I hear you Sy so what are you doing dueling? Let's go get tickets," Jaden insisted.

"Jaden, there's only one ticket left. That's what Syrus is dueling for. The winner of this duel gets it. Can you imagine a more fun prize than that?" Ms. Dorothy asked, holding up the treasured item.

"Yeah. One with two tickets," Jaden replied sourly, looking back at his buddy.

"Two tickets? Why? Did you want to invite someone else? I've already got mine right here," Syrus said, pulling a duplicate out of his pocket.

"Syrus? You're dueling for me?" Jaden asked, grabbing his friend's shoulders.

"Yeah. Of course Jaden," Syrus insisted, returning to his spot on the duel field, "And I'm going to win. Let's finish this duel." Dimitri nodded as he drew a card.

 **Dimitri's LP: 1200**

 **Syrus's LP: 800**

"My turn and I play Heavy Storm! And that young scholar will destroy all the spell and trap cards on the field," Dimitri explained in a nasally voice. A heavy gust of wind blew throughout the Card Shack as Dimitri's two facedowns were blown away.

"Huh? This situation… It sounds familiar," Jaden remarked.

"It should. Dr. Crowler played the same move on you," Bastion recalled.

"Oh yeah. What a coincidence," Jaden said as two yellow snake monsters appeared on Dimitri's field.

"It _is_ the same move. The two cards Dimitri lost just were now were two copies of Statue of the Wicked," Lucia saw, "When they're destroyed, Dimitri gets two token monsters."

"Now I'll sacrifice the two Wicked Tokens that were created to summon forth the legendary Ancient Gear Golem!" Dimitri announced as his two tokens vanished and Dr. Crowler's ace monster appeared (ATK: 3000). The students watched in surprise as the monster towered over the field and drew back his fist.

 _Talk about déjà vu._ Jaden thought as he remembered his first time encountering Dimitri's monster.

"Now attack! Mechanized melee!" Dimitri ordered, thrusting his free hand forward. The order given, the metal giant thrust its fist towards Syrus's monster.

"Not so fast! When you attack Jetroid, his ability activates. His ability allows me to activate a trap from my hand. I choose my Magic Cylinder!" Syrus countered as two red cylinders decorated with question marks and sigils appeared on his field, "It takes mechanized melee and puts it in reverse!"

"Time out!" Dimitri called. His call came too late as one cylinder absorbed the blow and the second fired a barrage of energy that struck Dimitri. The Ra cried out as he fell to his knees, his life points suffering from his blow.

 **Dimitri's LP: 1200-0**

"Yeah! Now that's how you duel!" Syrus victoriously cried, thrusting his fist into the air.

"Nice moves Sy! You sure sent him packing!" Jaden agreed as the holograms faded away, "Way to go!"

"It was easy. Since Dimitri copied Dr. Crowler's deck and I saw how you beat it before, I knew exactly what to do," Syrus laughed as he walked up to the counter.

"Well played Syrus. This is yours," Ms. Dorothy congratulated as she handed him the ticket.

"Thanks. Here's your ticket Jaden," Syrus offered, holding it out for his best friend.

"Sy, you're the best," Jaden grinned as he accepted the gift. As he did, the school bell rang.

"Alright everyone. The show's over. Time to go back to class," Ms. Dorothy insisted. The excitement over, the students began to file out. While some waited to leave, murmurs were heard about the match.

"Yet another stunning performance by Dimitri," One Ra scoffed.

"As a Ra Yellow, he should've smashed that Slifer slacker," An Obelisk stated.

"Yeah really. It's a miracle he's still wearing yellow," Another Obelisk commented.

"Or that he's even here at all," Another Ra added.

"I guess copying a good duelist and being a good duelist are two different things," Another student said as the last of the students left. Soon, only Dimitri, Bastion and Lucia remained. Bastion glanced around briefly before smiling.

"Well then, I think that's about the worst of it," Bastion grinned. Dimitri got to his feet, his gray eyes filled with rage.

"Sure, until the next time I lose," Dimitri fumed, looking at the two geniuses, "What good are all these study sessions if I can't beat a lousy Slifer with an Obelisk's deck? Well I've had it." Crying out in frustration, he ran out of the room. Bastion and Lucia looked at one another, unable to come up with any words to comfort their friend.

 **Chapter Twelve: Copycat Conundrum**

As the evening came about, Dimitri was in his room in Ra Yellow. Cards were strewn about his bed, notebooks and binders were spread out on the floor. Each had detailed notes with cards in sleeves. Despite all the information at his disposal, Dimitri was angry.

"I don't get it! I watch and I study! It doesn't make any sense! I can't win a single duel!" Dimitri howled. Angrily, he knocked over a pile of books and notes he had sitting on his desk. Papers scattered across the floor.

"It doesn't matter who I copy. Whether it's Dr. Crowler or Zane, I always lose," Dimitri lamented, "If copying the best duelists in the world doesn't work, what will?" Sadly, he began to pick up his papers when he saw a flier for the upcoming display of Yugi's deck.

 _Of course! If copying the greatest duelists on the island won't work, then I'll copy the greatest duelist._ Dimitri realized as a plan came to mind. Elsewhere, in the Slifer Red dorm, Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and Atsuko were hanging out in the boys' room. Chumley was lying about in bed, Jaden was at his desk staring at his cards while Syrus and Atsuko were trading cards.

"Jaden, you've been staring at your deck all night. What's up?" Syrus asked.

"It's Yugi's deck. I can't get it out of my head," Jaden admitted, leaning back in his chair.

"Really? Why?" Chumley asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Why? Why do you like grilled cheese? Look I'm so excited for this, I can't wait. So how about we go to the exhibit right now?" Jaden proposed eagerly.

"Right now?" Atsuko echoed questioningly.

"You mean sneak into school when they're setting up? Hey, that's a great idea! We can avoid the rush," Chumley agreed.

"Wait, so I dueled for that ticket and you're not going to use it?" Syrus asked, dismayed.

"Syrus, we'll be the first in line tomorrow too," Jaden smiled, "Come on. Let's do it."

"Are you sure? Won't we get in trouble again?" Syrus asked fearfully.

"Come on Syrus-kun. We won't stay long. We'll just peek in and peek out before anyone knows we're there," Atsuko insisted as she moved for the door. Syrus groaned as he saw that his best friends' minds were made up. In moments, they were out of the dorm and running through the darkness towards the school. The Slifers had arrived outside the main building and were presently hiding in a clump of bushes within visual range of the school.

"OK so we're here. How do we get into the school Jay?" Syrus wondered.

"Yeah, won't the doors be locked?" Chumley asked.

"Not if we help you," A female voice remarked. Surprised, the Slifers turned and saw Bastion and Lucia huddled behind them.

"Bastion, Lucia, what are you doing here?" Syrus asked.

"We could ask you guys the same thing," Lucia countered, "Let me guess, you want a sneak peek at Yugi's deck?"

"You got it. I guess great minds think alike," Jaden laughed.

"Except that we're not sure how we're going to get into the school afterhours," Atsuko said.

"Leave that to me," Lucia insisted, waving her arm in a follow me gesture. Reluctantly, the group let her take the lead as she led them to the back of the school building to a metal door with a keypad.

"What's this door?" Chumley asked.

"It leads into maintenance tunnels within the school," Lucia explained as she punched in an eight-digit code and the door swung open, "We can use them to come out under Obelisk Arena and from there, the display room."

"Nice work Lucia but how'd you know the code?" Syrus asked as they entered the door and it closed behind them.

"I've lived on this island since I was born," Lucia explained, "I know every tunnel, door and code for every building on this island."

"That's impressive," Bastion remarked.

"Yeah. My family used to own this whole island until my father sold it to Seto Kaiba to build the academy. After it was built, I used to sneak around and use spend my spare time hacking the computer system for fun," Lucia continued.

"Wow. That's sweet," Jaden grinned.

"Think you can hack me an A for my midterm?" Chumley asked as the group reached a short ladder and hatch.

"Sorry. I'm strictly white hat," Lucia apologized as she climbed up the ladder and opened the hatch, "If I do something like that, my father would be furious." At the same time, in another part of the school, Dr. Crowler was meeting with two of the school's maintenance staff.

"We're finished setting up. Here are the keys for the display case in the exhibit hall," One of the staff members offered, holding up a ring of keys. Dr. Crowler happily took them and stuffed them in his pocket.

"Yeah, it was nice of you to let us off early. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning for the grand opening," The second man said, "See you mister… Er, doctor…"

"Good night sir," The first concluded and the two men walked off.

"Yes, good night gentlemen," Dr. Crowler said, waving to them. Turning away, he looked down the hall to where the big display was to be set up. Opening the doors, he found himself in a circular room where display cases full of dueling paraphernalia had been set up.

"Yes, quite a good night. After all, how many evenings can one say they've spent in the presence of greatness? In the presence of the world's most famous dueling deck…?" But Dr. Crowler's words were cut short as his heart trembled in shock. The final case at the back of the room had been shattered, its contents missing.

"…That isn't there? What the deck is going on?!" Dr. Crowler exclaimed as he ran over to it, "How could this have happened?"

"Hey! Is everything OK?" A new voice asked. Dr. Crowler turned and saw Jaden and the others standing in the doorway.

"Look! The display case!" Jaden gasped.

"He stole Yugi's deck!" Chumley accused.

"Why'd you do it Dr. Crowler?" Syrus asked sadly.

"Let's get Chancellor Sheppard!" Jaden insisted.

"No wait!" Dr. Crowler cried out in panic. As he moved towards them, he tripped and grabbed onto Chumley who was in the back of the group. The students cried out in surprise as they fell over like dominoes.

"Hey! What gives?" Jaden demanded.

"Please! I know this looks bad but I didn't steal the deck!" Dr. Crowler insisted.

"Then who did?" Bastion asked.

"You _were_ the only person in the room," Lucia pointed out, "And you were standing right next to the display case."

"Then go ahead and search me!" Dr. Crowler pleaded, tears forming in his eyes, "Go ahead." The students looked at one another questioningly.

"You know. It may be because I don't want to search him but I think I actually believe what Dr. Crowler is saying," Jaden admitted as everyone got off the floor.

"Yes, you're not so dim after all," Dr. Crowler muttered, before saying aloud, "Thank you for believing me."

"But that would mean the real thief is still out there somewhere," Jaden declared, looking to his friends, "Let's split up and search the area."

"Yes, good call! We must find this wrongdoer, this pillager," Dr. Crowler agreed, before mumbling, "And when I mean we, I mean you." Moments later, the teens split up in all directions to search the grounds. Near the cliffs southwest of the school, Dimitri stood amongst the rocks, a green scarf around his neck to protect him from the cold night air. He had two duel disks in his possession and the legendary deck in his hands.

"Finally, now that I have the greatest cards, I'll be the greatest duelist!" Dimitri grinned as he put the cards in his duel disk. As he did, Syrus came up from behind him.

"Hey! Someone just stole Yugi's deck! Know anything about it?" Syrus asked urgently.

"Stole? What do you mean? This is my deck! If you don't believe me, why don't I show you right here, right now?" Dimitri challenged, deepening his voice purposefully. With that he tossed a duel disk over to Syrus.

"Aw man," Syrus whined as he slipped it on. Not far away, Zane was meeting with Alexis and Lynn near the lighthouse.

"So any luck finding your brother?" Zane asked.

"Nope. Any and all leads I had up to this point didn't pan out," Alexis said sadly, "You got any ideas Lynn?" Looking over at the silver blond duelist, she was surprised to find she wasn't paying attention. She was staring out at the water, one hand on her deck case, the other fingering the pendant around her neck.

"Hello? Earth to Lynn? Are you listening?" Alexis asked.

"Oh? Sorry, you were saying?" Lynn asked back, refocusing her attention.

"…What's going on Lynn? You haven't listened to a word we've said all evening," Zane asked.

"I was just thinking about Yugi's deck… And me…" Lynn admitted.

"Yugi's deck? What are you talking about?" Alexis asked.

"When I first arrived, my deck was a hand-me-down. Since losing to Zane, I've been working to make it my own," Lynn explained, her eyes going to the deck at her hip.

"You haven't done too bad with that," Zane remarked, thinking of Lynn's last duel with Missy.

"But how _much_ have I grown? There's what I want to know," Lynn admitted.

"You're starting to sound like Syrus," Alexis teased.

"Please, don't insult me. I'm not _that_ desperate," Lynn snorted, _but there is one thing I need to know. Have I gotten strong enough to use_ it _? I won't know until I go home so I have to keep getting stronger. I have to…_ But Lynn's thoughts were left unfinished as Chumley ran up to them completely out of breath.

"Hey Chum. What are you doing out at this hour?" Alexis asked.

"It's… bad… Yugi's… deck…" Chumley huffed.

"Whoa! Take a deep breath and start from the beginning," Lynn advised.

"Right sorry," Chumley gulped as he followed his friend's advice, "We snuck into the display room at the school where Yugi's deck was but someone's stolen in. The guys and I are looking for the thief now."

"Someone stole Yugi's deck? That's not good," Alexis frowned.

"We better join the search," Zane said resolutely. With three more sets of hands and eyes, the three Obelisks joined the search. In minutes, everyone but Syrus gathered at the bridge.

"Lexi-chan? Lynn-chan? Truesdale-san? What are you all doing here?" Atsuko asked.

"Chumley told us about the break-in. We wanted to help," Lynn insisted, "Did you guys find anything?"

"No sign of the cards in the Ra Yellow dorms," Bastion shook his head.

"Or Slifer Red," Chumley added.

"While you ran about, I hacked into the security system and accessed the video feeds for the main building," Lucia said as she accessed her tablet, "But when I got in, there was no footage of the deck being stolen and no footage of anyone leaving."

"Huh? How's that possible?" Alexis asked.

"The average person wouldn't. Whoever did this must've known where all the blind spots were," Lucia frowned.

"The thief must be a skilled study to know where all the cameras are," Zane conceded, "You know anybody like that?"

"Besides myself? Not really. None of the staff would do this either, and there's no way to leave the island unseen," Lucia remarked.

"OK, so if we searched all the main areas of the grounds, where's the thief?" Jaden agreed reluctantly.

"If only we had a sign..." Lucia sighed wistfully It was then an ear-piercing scream ripped through the night air.

"Forget a sign! That was Syrus!" Lynn winced worryingly. The group followed the source of the scream and found Syrus lying prone on the ground. Dimitri stood over him as holograms faded from the shoreline.

"Ah yes, it's good to be the King of Games," Dimitri laughed haughtily.

"Syrus-kun? Are you alright? What happened?" Atsuko asked as she helped her friend sit up.

"It's Yugi's deck. He's got it and… Ugh… he beat me with it," Syrus groaned, rubbing his back.

"Dimitri? What do you think you're doing?" Lucia demanded, "Why did you take Yugi's deck?"

"Dimitri… I'm afraid you're mistaken. Dimitri was just some child who studied people's decks and copied them. He was a loser but he's long gone now," Dimitri said dismissively.

"He's lost his mind," Bastion remarked quietly.

"Alright you creep. You've had your fun," Jaden growled angrily, "But now it's over! Give those cards back right now or you'll be sorry Dimitri."

"It would seem you need your eyes and ears checked. I'm not Dimitri. I'm Yugi and if you want this deck back, you'll have to prove I'm not!" Dimitri challenged as he looked at each of the duelists one by one, _but who to challenge? I'm not ready for Zane and the Slifer proved to be no challenge. I duel enough Ra Yellow students as it is. So…_ Eventually, his gaze settled on Lynn.

"You there! Perhaps you'd like to try?" Dimitri offered, pointing to Lynn.

"Me?" Lynn asked, pointing to herself.

"Yes. You look like a worthy opponent. What do you say? Care to take on the King of Games?" Dimitri challenged. Lynn winced as she stepped forward only for a hand to grab her own.

"Lynn wait! You'll be up against the King of Games deck. You sure you want to do this?" Zane asked cautiously.

"Yeah, I'll do it. I'll get those cards back. Besides, it'll be an excellent test for my deck," Lynn swore quietly, before raising her voice, "Alright, Dimitri, Yugi, whatever you call yourself! I accept your challenge!"

"Lynn here!" Syrus offered, removing his duel disk, "You'll need this."

"Thanks Syrus!" Lynn thanked as she slipped it on her arm and loaded her deck into it.

"You can do it Lynn-chan! Take him down!" Atsuko urged. Lynn nodded nervously as she loaded her deck into the duel disk.

"It's time to duel!"

 **Lynn's LP: 8000**

 **Dimitri's LP: 8000**

"Let the magic begin!" Lynn grinned as she drew her opening hand. Her excitement vanished as quickly as it started when she saw the contents of her hand.

 _Wonderful. Up against the King of Games' deck and I get a bad hand. Oh well. Going to have make the most of what I've got._ Lynn reflected as she selected a card, "I'll start things off by setting one monster in defense mode and ending my turn.

"Just one card huh? Very well," Dimitri conceded as he held up three of his cards, "I will start with three! I fuse Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts and Beformet to fusion summon Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast!" A swirling vortex appeared overhead and two orange beams of light flew into it. From out of it came a chimeric monster with two horned heads, wings and walking on four legs (ATK: 2100).

"Now my beast, destroy Lynn's facedown monster!" Dimitri ordered, "Pulverizing pounce!" The monster roared as it attacked Lynn's facedown monster, a robed purple monster with a rabbit-shaped hood. Chimera clawed her monster and destroyed it.

"Thanks for that. When Lost Legend Ravio is sent to the graveyard, I can add an equip spell from my deck to my hand," Lynn explained as she shuffled through her cards, "And I'll choose my Silver Scale Trident."

"Very well. I shall end my turn then," Dimitri concluded.

"It's my turn now and I'll special summon Lost Legend Darunia in attack mode!" Lynn announced as her rock sage appeared on the field (ATK: 2000), "Then I'll normal summon Lost Legend Agitha!" A beam of light erupted and from it came the most unusual human monster. Wearing Mary Jane shoes and an elaborate white dress with a pink butterfly-wing cape at her back. She carried a wicker picnic basket and her blond hair was tied in two pigtails (ATK: 1600).

"Now I'll show you why she's more than a pretty face. Once per turn, she can change the battle mode of any face up monster on the field. I'll choose your mythical beast," Lynn explained as the new girl released a horde of butterflies from her basket. They fluttered around Chimera and began showering it with pollen. The beast's eyes grew heavy as it relaxed and its posture slumped (DEF: 1800).

"Now that he's resting in defense mode, he's vulnerable to my sage Darunia! Reduce his mythical beast to ashes!" Lynn ordered. Her fiery sage roared in anger as he slammed his fist into the ground and a pillar of fire erupted underneath Dimitri's beast, consuming it.

"Nice ability! Now let me show you one of mine. When Chimera's destroyed, I can summon Beformet in defense mode from my graveyard," Dimitri explained as a four-armed beast monster returned to the field (DEF: 1800).

 _That ability saved his life points from a big hit. Since Agitha can't destroy Berformet, Dimitri's safe for this turn. Man, that deck sure is living up to the hype._ Jaden reflected.

"Fine. I'll end with a facedown," Lynn concluded as a single card materialized behind her monsters.

"Very well. It's my turn now and I'll call forth Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode!" Dimitri announced the red armored knight appeared on his field (ATK: 1600), "Now I'll use his special ability. By removing his spell counter, he can destroy one spell or trap card on the field and since there's only one card that meets that criteria, I'll have to choose yours!" Lynn watched as the knight fired a blade of light from its blade and destroyed her facedown trap card.

"Now that your trap is out of the way, I shall play the spell card Magical Dimension! With this, I can sacrifice one monster on my field and special summon a spellcaster from my hand. I shall bid Berfomet farewell as I call forth my greatest ally and greatest servant," Dimitri explained as an intricate gold coffin suspended in a frame appeared on his field.

"Greatest ally? He couldn't mean…?" Syrus gasped as Beformet was drawn inside the coffin. The doors slammed shut and then reopened revealing a human clad in purple armor complete with a green jeweled staff (ATK: 2500).

"That's right. The monster I've chosen to call forth is my dear friend Dark Magician!" Dimitri announced.

"I'm star struck! The Dark Magician is like the headliner of Yugi's entire deck," Jaden grinned.

"Think he'll give an autograph?" Syrus asked hopefully.

"Man, I wish I brought my camera," Chumley sighed.

"Apologies but my monster doesn't do autographs but he does do _this_! You see, now the Dark Magician has made his big arrival, he can use Magical Dimension's other effect to destroy one of your monsters. I choose your Lost Legend Darunia!" Dimitri explained. The coffin fired a beam at Lynn's monster and subsequently destroyed it.

"With him gone, the way is clear. Dark Magician, destroy her Lost Legend Agitha! Dark magic attack!" Dimitri ordered. The butterfly girl cried out in fright as a stream of dark magic blew her away.

 **Lynn's LP: 8000-7100**

"And now Breaker, attack Lynn's life points directly! Dispelling strike!" Dimitri added as his knight fired off a beam of light that struck Lynn.

 **Lynn's LP: 7100-5500**

"My turn is over," Dimitri concluded.

"Poor Lynn. She's getting pummeled out there," Alexis winced.

"There's gotta be something she can do. Syrus, you just dueled this guy. Got any advice on how she can win?" Chumley asked hopefully.

"None. I tried everything but nothing worked. Yugi's deck was just too powerful for me," Syrus replied sadly.

"I'm afraid that's an understatement Syrus. You see Dimitri is a copycat duelist. In order to defeat him, you have to exploit the failings of the duelist he's copying. Just like when you first dueled him, you knew he was copying Dr. Crowler and you knew how to defeat him. The problem is that he's copying Yugi… A duelist that has few weaknesses, that is if he has any at all," Bastion said ominously.

"Well let's hope Lynn can find his before it's too late," Zane hoped.

"It's my turn then. I'll set a monster facedown and activate the continuous spell card Arcane Barrier," Lynn said as a circular barrier of white light surrounded her.

"What does this ring of light do?" Dimitri asked.

"Good question. Now whenever a spellcaster is destroyed, this spell card will gain a spell counter," Lynn explained, "Once it has enough, I can use it to draw more cards."

"Perhaps but your life points will not last that long," Dimitri said as he drew a card, "Dark Magician! Dark magic attack!" The spellcaster fired a stream of darkness and exposed a purple robed wizard before destroying it (DEF: 800).

"You just destroyed Apprentice Magician! When this card is flipped up and destroyed, I can add a spell counter to a card of my choice. I'll choose my Arcane Barrier," Lynn said as her barrier glowed more intensely, "And since you destroyed a spellcaster type monster, my barrier gains another counter."

Arcane Barrier counters: 0-2

"You may have gained two counters but you are still vulnerable to attack," Dimitri pointed out.

"Wrong again Dimitri. When Apprentice Magician is sent to the graveyard, I can set another level two or below spellcaster from my deck to the field," Lynn said as a new facedown monster materialized on her field.

"Not bad but I still have Breaker! Attack with dispelling strike," Dimitri ordered as his knight fired another beam and destroyed another copy of Lynn's monster (DEF: 800).

"You just destroyed another Apprentice Magician. Just like the first time, I get two more counters for my barrier," Lynn said as her barrier glowed even brighter, "Plus I can set another level two or below spellcaster from my deck facedown." On Lynn's field, a new facedown monster materialized once again.

Arcane Barrier counters: 2-4

"Hmph… You got lucky but next time you won't. I end with a facedown," Dimitri concluded as a single card appeared behind his monsters.

"Another level two or below monster… Very clever indeed," Bastion remarked.

"Something up Bastion?" Jaden asked.

"Yes Jaden. Something _is_ indeed up. If that monster is what I think it is, Dimitri's about to be one Dark Magician short," Bastion explained.

"It's my turn now and I flip up my facedown monster!" Lynn announced as her monster flipped open, revealing an aged mage in drab robes (ATK: 450), "When Old Vindictive Magician is flipped up, he allows me to instantly destroy one monster on the field. I choose your Dark Magician!" The elderly magician grinned as he conjured a spell circle underneath Dimitri's monster.

"That's a powerful move but I'm well prepared," Dimitri frowned as his facedown card flipped open, "I activate Dark Illusion! This trap card activates whenever you use an effect against my Dark Magician. It negates the effect and you draw one card from your deck." The onlookers watched in surprise as Dark Magician teleported out of the way of Lynn's spell and reappeared unharmed. Disappointed that her move failed, Lynn drew a card.

"My magician's ability may have been defeated but he can still help me out. I'll tribute him and my Arcane Barrier to activate my spell card's effect. Now I can draw one card from my deck for each spell counter it has. My spell has four counters so I draw four cards," Lynn explained as her monster and her spell vanished. Her deck glowed with energy as Lynn drew four cards. As she drew the fourth, her heart nearly stopped at what she drew.

 _No! It can't be! You're not supposed to be here!_ Lynn gasped frightfully at the card in her hand, _I left you at home! How did you get back in my deck?!_ For the briefest of moments, her thoughts left the field as white filled her vision. A boy's cry filled her ears as terrible memories filled her mind. As she gazed upon the card she drew, her friends immediately noticed her hesitation.

"What's up with Lynn? She's totally spacing out," Lucia wondered. Unbeknownst to the others, Winged Kuriboh appeared at Jaden's side and immediately hid behind him fearfully.

"What's up pal? Are you OK?" Jaden asked quietly. Winged Kuriboh shook his head and cooed nervously.

"What's that? We should be afraid? Of what?" Jaden wondered. As he asked, he noticed Atsuko was shivering slightly, her eyes wide with fright.

 _The only thing that can scare Lynn-hime this badly is_ that _card._ Atsuko thought frightfully, _no matter how bad things get, she_ cannot _play it._

"Hey Atsuko? You OK?" Chumley asked, seeing his friend shivering.

"Oh, I'm just a little cold," Atsuko lied, rubbing her bare arms, "Should've worn my long sleeve blazer."

"I've got to keep it together. Can't rely on _it_ to win," Lynn whispered before she raised her voice and reached for a different card, "I summon Lost Legend Dangoro." A towering Goron monster appeared before her. Bigger than any of the others she had played previously, this one wore metal gauntlets and a thick helmet (ATK: 2300).

"Next, I'll outfit him with the equip spell Boulder Breaker! This card raises the attack points of a fire attribute Lost Legend by 500 points," Lynn explained as the familiar stone club appeared in the warrior's hands.

Lost Legend Dangoro (ATK: 2300-2800)

"Now it's time to attack. Dangoro, destroy Breaker the Magical Warrior with seismic slam!" Lynn ordered. Her warrior let out a powerful cry as it slammed the club into the ground. A shockwave threw the red-armored magician back before it exploded.

 **Dimitri's LP: 8000-7100**

"That's an awfully powerful monster Lynn's got but why didn't she attack Dark Magician? It could've clobbered it easily," Chumley remarked.

"It's because its power is balanced by its effect. Dangoro can remain in attack mode only as long as Dimitri has a level five or above monster on his field. Otherwise, it switches to defense mode," Bastion explained, "If she attacked Dark Magician, her monster would've been left vulnerable afterwards."

"Vulnerable? What do you mean Bastion?" Syrus asked.

"Dangoro's defense points are zero. The moment it switches modes, any monster could defeat it," Bastion explained.

"I'll end with a facedown," Lynn concluded as a single card materialized behind her monster, "But next turn, your Dark Magician's history."

"Oh really? What makes you think that?" Dimitri asked.

"Your hand is down to one card and you have no spells or traps in play. Unless you draw something now, your monster will be defeated next round," Lynn reasoned. Dimitri drew a card from his deck and grinned.

"Unless I buy myself some more time with this! I play the spell card Swords of Revealing Light!" Dimitri announced as a horde of glowing crosses of energy materialized around Lynn's entire field.

"What's happening?" Syrus asked worryingly.

"Not your attacks. For the next three turns, your monsters are useless," Dimitri grinned.

"Oh come on! Three turns? That'll give you a chance to come back," Lynn groaned.

"Exactly. I end my turn now," Dimitri concluded.

"It's my turn and I activate the field spell Magical Citadel of Endymion!" Lynn announced as the white tower that made up her ace's home appeared around her, "Then I'll activate Spell Power Grasp! This spell lets me place a spell counter on any card I choose and I choose my citadel. Plus, with each spell we play, my citadel gets an extra counter." Two of the lights in the tower began to glow as Lynn's spell took effect.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters – 0-2

"With that done, I can add another Spell Power Grasp to my hand but I can't play it until my next turn," Lynn continued as another copy of her spell materialized in her hand, "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn now. I set one card and end my turn," Dimitri said as a single card materialized behind his Dark Magician. Lynn drew a card and frowned at the contents of her hand

 _This isn't going well. Dangoro's the only monster I got on the field. I should reinforce my defenses before these swords wear off. I may lose some life points but I won't be monsterless._ Lynn reflected, "It's my turn now and I play Spell Power Grasp again! Just like last time, I'll use its effect to place two more counters on my citadel and another Spell Power Grasp in my hand from my deck." Two more windows in the tower began to glow as the spell took effect. The last copy of the spell materialized in Lynn's hand from her deck.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters – 2-4

"Then I'll summon Defender the Magical Knight in attack mode and end my turn," Lynn concluded as her blue armor knight appeared, shield and sword in hand. A spell counter mounted itself in the knight's shield before the effects of Dimitri's swords immobilized it (ATK: 1600).

"Reinforcing your defenses won't do you any good," Dimitri chastised as hundreds of knives materialized around his monster, "Especially since I have this: The spell card Thousand Knives! With this card and Dark Magician on my field, I can destroy any one of your monsters." With a wave of its wand, the knives rained down on Dangoro before destroying it.

"You may have destroyed Dangoro but your spell gives me another spell counter," Lynn pointed out as another window in her citadel came to life with light.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters – 4-5

"That won't stop this however! Dark Magician! Attack Defender the Magical Knight with dark magic attack!" Dimitri ordered as his monster's wand began to glow. With a powerful cry, the Dark Magician launched a beam of dark magic that struck Lynn's monster and bathing it in a fiery explosion.

 **Lynn's LP: 5500-4600**

"Thus, your monster fails," Dimitri concluded. However, when the smoke cleared, Lynn's knight was still standing. Its shield was glowing with light as the spell counter vanished from its shield.

"I don't think so. I can remove Defender's spell counter and keep it from being destroyed," Lynn explained.

"You may have spared your monster but the Dark Magician is still stronger than anything you currently possess. There's also the matter of my Swords of Revealing Light. So long as it is in play, you cannot attack me," Dimitri pointed out. Lynn drew a card and grinned.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. I play Mystical Space Typhoon! This spell destroys your Swords of Revealing Light and gives me another spell counter!" Lynn countered as a hurricane's worth of wind engulfed the entire battlefield. The wind shattered every sword around until Lynn's monster was free to move again.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters – 5-6

"I release Defender the Magical Knight and advance summon my Lost Champion Mipha!" Lynn announced as her knight vanished in place of a new monster. Like Sidon, she was red skinned and fish-like in appearance. Unlike him however, her fin covered head was decorated in silver and blue jewelry and her modesty was protected by blue robes and a matching sash around her chest (ATK: 1500 / DEF: 2400).

"Next I equip Mipha with the Silver Scale Trident equip spell! This adds half of her defense points to her attack points!" Lynn explained as a silver trident with red jewels engraved in it appeared in her monster's hands.

Lost Champion Mipha (ATK: 1500-2700)

"2700 attack points! That's stronger than my Dark Magician!" Dimitri exclaimed as another light glowed in Lynn's tower.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters – 6-7

"Yeah, that's what I was aiming for!" Lynn grinned as a veil of water wrapped around her monster, "Attack with typhoon thrust!" Raising her trident over her head, the water gathered at the head and formed a drill of spinning water. With a loud cry, she thrust it towards the Dark Magician. The drill head of water separated from the trident and flew forward towards Dimitri.

"An impressive move but I'm well prepared! I activate my facedown spell card, Dedication through Light and Dark," Dimitri announced as his facedown flipped open and a veil of darkness consumed his monster, "With this card, I can sacrifice my Dark Magician and summon something even stronger!"

"Something stronger? What do you mean?" Lynn asked as her field spell card gained another counter.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters – 7-8

"You are about to find out. Behold my monster, the legendary Dark Magician of Chaos!" Dimitri announced as the dark veil fell away and a new monster appeared from it. Possessing long black hair, blue skin, and piercing yellow eyes, the new monster wore an outfit of blue-black leather with red bands along the arms. It carried a staff decorated similar to its clothing (ATK: 2800).

"Dark Magician of Chaos… That's a very rare card," Lucia frowned.

"Yes, and only recently removed from the ban list," Bastion remarked as the drill of water vanished and Mipha return to Lynn's side.

"Now for my magician's ability! When he's summoned successfully, I can return one spell card from my graveyard back to my hand. I will choose Polymerization," Dimitri explained as the fusion card returned to his hand.

"Fine. I end my turn," Lynn concluded.

"Very well. I start my turn with the Card of Sanctity spell card," Dimitri said as he calmly slotted in his newest drawn card, "With this, both of us to draw until we have six cards in our hands." The onlookers watched tersely as both players maxed out their hands. Upon gazing at his cards, Dimitri smiled as he selected one.

"Excellent. I've drawn the monster Watapon. You see, when Watapon is added to my hand by way of monster, spell or trap effect, I can summon it to the field," Dimitri explained as a pink puff with blue eyes appeared on his field, "But still, it won't be out for long as I'm going to sacrifice him and advance summon my Dark Magician Girl!" Watapon promptly vanished and the onlookers watched with surprise as a blond-haired girl in blue magician robes with a pink skirt appeared on the field. Her green doe eyes and charming smile immediately made the hearts of all the boys melt a little (ATK: 2000).

"Wow! She's even cuter in person," Syrus remarked.

"She has both beauty and brawn for you see she gains 300 attack points for every Dark Magician in my graveyard," Dimitri explained as a pink aura filled his monster.

Dark Magician Girl (ATK: 2000-2300)

"And speaking of Dark Magicians! Don't forget about my chaos magician! Attack Mipha with scepter strike!" Dimitri ordered. Lynn watched in horror as the stronger of the two spellcasters raised his staff and launched a sphere of dark magic that struck her monster head on. Her monster cried out in pain as she exploded from the force of the spell.

 **Lynn's LP: 4600-4500**

"You may have defeated her but her special ability can still be activated. When she's sent to the graveyard as a result of battle, Mipha can resurrect one Lost Legend from my graveyard," Lynn countered.

"I'm afraid your champion won't be able to for you see, my chaos magician has another effect. When he destroys a monster in battle who is in attack mode, it is banished instead of being sent to the graveyard," Dimitri explained, "So Mipha won't be reviving anyone this turn."

"That's not good," Jaden remarked.

"And with no monsters, you are wide open. Dark Magician Girl attacks you directly! Dark burning attack!" Dimitri ordered. The cute magician smiled as she thrust her wand towards Lynn and enveloped her in a stream of pink and black magic.

 **Lynn's LP: 4500-2200**

"Just face it, this deck and I work perfectly together. Always have, always will," Dimitri grinned. Lynn looked down in defeat, unsure of what to do.

"Come on Lynn! Get your game on! You're still in this," Jaden encouraged.

"Jay's right! You gotta be strong," Alexis urged.

 _Strong… Dimitri's deck is too strong. He may have not the gods, but his deck is too strong for me as I am now._ Lynn thought woefully. Looking down at her free hand, she saw it was trembling as it hovered over her deck.

 _There may be only way out… But if I use it,_ everyone _loses…_ Lynn thought fearfully as her eyes went to the card in her hand that had her heart chilled.


	13. Copycat Conundrum Part Two

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX:_

" _Yugi and his deck are going on tour, and our school is the first stop," Jasmine explained._

" _Yugi is coming here to Duel Academy? That's awesome!" Alexis exclaimed._

" _Yup, he's coming as part of his new book tour and to advertise the new game he just developed with Industrial Illusions," Jasmine explained as she studied the flier._

 _Dimitri was in anguish. Cards were strewn about his bed, notebooks and binders were spread out on the floor. Each had detailed notes with cards in sleeves. Despite all the information at his disposal, Dimitri was angry._

" _I don't get it! I watch and I study! It doesn't make any sense! I can't win a single duel!" Dimitri howled. Angrily, he knocked over a pile of books and notes he had sitting on his desk. Papers scattered across the floor._

" _It doesn't matter who I copy. Whether it's Dr. Crowler or Zane, I always lose," Dimitri lamented, "If copying the best duelists in the world doesn't work, what will?" Sadly, he began to pick up his papers when he saw a flier for the upcoming display of Yugi's deck._

 _Of course! If copying the greatest duelists on the island won't work, then I'll copy THE greatest duelist. Dimitri realized as a plan came to mind._

" _Dimitri… I'm afraid you're mistaken. Dimitri was just some child who studied people's decks and copied them. He was a loser but he's long gone now," Dimitri said dismissively._

" _He's lost his mind," Bastion remarked quietly._

" _Alright you creep. You've had your fun," Jaden growled angrily, "But now it's over! Give those cards back right now or you'll be sorry Dimitri."_

" _It would seem you need your eyes and ears checked. I'm not Dimitri. I'm Yugi and if you want this deck back, you'll have to prove I'm not!" Dimitri challenged as he looked at each of the duelists one by one, but who to challenge? I'm not ready for Zane and the Slifer proved to be no challenge. I duel enough Ra Yellow students as it is. So… Eventually, he settled on Lynn._

" _You there! Perhaps you'd like to try?" Dimitri offered, pointing to Lynn._

" _Me?" Lynn asked, pointing to herself._

" _Yes. You look like a worthy opponent. What do you say? Care to take on the King of Games?" Dimitri challenged._

 _No! It can't be! You're not supposed to be here! Lynn gasped frightfully at the card in her hand, I left you at home! How did you get back in my deck?! As she gazed upon the card she drew, her friends immediately noticed her hesitation._

" _What's up with Lynn? She's totally spacing out," Lucia wondered. Unbeknownst to the others, Winged Kuriboh appeared at Jaden's side and immediately hid behind him fearfully._

" _What's up pal? Are you OK?" Jaden asked quietly. Winged Kuriboh shook his head and cooed nervously._

" _What's that? We should be afraid? Of what?" Jaden wondered. As he asked, he noticed Atsuko was shivering slightly, her eyes wide with fright._

 _The only thing that can scare Lynn-hime this badly is that card. Atsuko thought frightfully, no matter how bad things get, she cannot play that card._

" _Dark Magician Girl attacks you directly! Dark burning attack!" Dimitri ordered. The cute magician smiled as she thrust her wand towards Lynn and enveloped her in a stream of pink and black magic._

 **Lynn's LP: 4500-2200**

" _Just face it, this deck and I work perfectly together. Always have, always will," Dimitri grinned. Lynn looked down in defeat, unsure of what to do._

" _Come on Lynn! Get your game on! You're still in this," Jaden encouraged._

" _Jay's right! You gotta be strong," Alexis urged._

 _Strong… Dimitri's deck is too strong. He may have not the gods, but his deck is too strong for me as I am now. Lynn thought woefully. Looking down at her free hand, she saw it was trembling as it hovered over her deck._

 _There may be only way out… But if I use it, everyone loses… Lynn thought fearfully as her eyes went to the card in her hand that had her heart chilled._

 **Chapter Thirteen: Copycat Conundrum**

The night was chilled as Lynn's friends stood around watching her duel Dimitri. The Ra Yellow copycat has two legendary spellcasters in his possession, the Dark Magician of Chaos (ATK: 2800) and Dark Magician Girl (ATK: 2300). Lynn's field was empty safe for her field spell Magical Citadel of Endymion and its eight counters.

 **Lynn's LP: 2200**

 **Dimitri's LP: 7100**

"Oh man, Lynn's getting creamed out there," Syrus said worryingly.

"Unfortunately Syrus, that's the understatement of the night. Look at what she has to contend with. Two of the most famous and power spellcasters in the world of Duel Monsters. Near full life points. Her chances of victory are indeed subterranean," Bastion analyzed.

"It's not all bad. She's still got her magical citadel in play and she has more cards in her hand than Dimitri does," Alexis pointed out, "If she can get the right card with her next draw, she could turn this around."

"Perhaps," Bastion agreed reluctantly.

"Yeah but what I'm curious about at the moment is the card that scared her. What could she have in her deck that frightened her so badly?" Lucia wondered.

"I've heard of people who freak at bad draws but this… This was pure fear," Zane thought to himself. _The same kind of fear Syrus had when he had trouble with Power Bond. Lynn knows that a card is nothing to be afraid of as long as you know how to play it right. So why did she freak out?_

 _How could this have happened? I left you at home. How did you get in my deck? Did you follow me?_ Lynn wondered as she looked down at her hand, _it doesn't matter right now. Dimitri thinks he's Yugi and unless I defeat him, he's going to keep those cards he stole. I can't let that happen so don't you get in my way._

"What's the matter? Starting to realize that you can't win against me?" Dimitri asked cockily, "It's not surprising. As a true duelist, I know that from the skills you've shown here, I've all but won."

"If you think that, you've got another thing coming. A true duelist will never give up and _certainly_ wouldn't tell someone else to," Lynn frowned as she drew. Looking at the card she drew, she immediately grinned.

"Oh really? Let us see if you are one then," Dimitri remarked confidently.

"Alright if you insist. I'll prove it starting right now," Lynn said, her own confidence rising.

"And just how will you do that?" Dimitri asked, his curiosity peaked.

"By summoning the monster that can destroy _both_ of your Dark Magicians," Lynn declared boldly.

"Both of them? Impossible," Dimitri scoffed.

"It's true. Remember that tower behind me? It contains a spellcaster more powerful than either of your magicians," Lynn announced as she pointed to the tower behind her, "But you don't have to take my word for it. I'll show you. I remove six spell counters from my field spell and special summon its master – Endymion the Master Magician!" Lights from six of the windows flowed towards the gates of the tower. The doors glowed as they opened and revealed Lynn's ace monster (ATK: 2700).

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 8-2

"It's an impressive monster I will admit but in terms of power, he can't destroy them both," Dimitri pointed out.

"That's where you're wrong. Where his attack points fail, his ability more than makes up for it. When he's called to the field using the tower's spell counters, I can return a spell card from my graveyard back to my hand. I'll choose my Arcane Barrier, but seeing as how it's too useful to leave in my hand, I'll activate it too!" Lynn continued as her spell rematerialized on the field.

"That still doesn't help you destroy my Dark Magician of Chaos," Dimitri pointed out.

"No but _this_ will. I activate Endymion's second effect. I can discard a spell card from my hand and destroy your monster," Lynn continued as she discarded her Spell Power Grasp card, "Banishment seal!" Her magician raised his staff and conjured a spell seal beneath Dimitri's monster. Light from the seal enveloped the chaos mage and pulled it into the earth before vanishing.

"No, my chaos mage!" Dimitri exclaimed.

"And the fun doesn't stop there! I summon Lost Legend Sheik in attack mode!" Lynn added as a new warrior appeared on her field. Garbed in a blue-black bodysuit with a red eye symbol on the chest, his face was masked by a white turban, the only discernable features for this human being a blond hair poking out the back and a single red eye exposed behind the mask (ATK: 1800).

"Oh man! Don't tell me she's going to do what I think she's going to do!" Syrus whined, his gaze going to Dimitri's sole monster.

"I hate to do this to Syrus but I've got no choice. Endymion, attack his Dark Magician Girl. Master magic blast!" Lynn ordered. Both spellcasters raised their wands and fired opposing beams of dark magic at one another. A power struggle briefly ensued as both monsters worked to overpower one another. Ultimately, Dark Magician Girl faltered as her beam was overpowered and she was destroyed.

 **Dimitri's LP: 7100-6700**

"Now that you have no monsters, Sheik can attack you directly," Lynn declared as her monster leapt forward, a steel shiv in hand, "Shadow slice!" Dimitri cried out as the monster took a swing at him and struck him in the chest.

 **Dimitri's LP: 6700-4900**

"Now that I've cleared your field, my Arcane Barrier will gain two spell counters because I took out two magicians. With that done, I'll take a break and end with one facedown," Lynn concluded as a single card materialized behind her monsters and the barrier card glowed with fresh spell counters.

Arcane Barrier counters: 0-2

"Alright! What a sweet move!" Jaden grinned.

"Oh man, why did she have to destroy Dark Magician Girl?" Syrus whined.

"Why? She had to if she was going to win," Chumley replied.

"But I was going to ask her out on a date," Syrus groaned. The Slifers sweat dropped at their friend's comment.

"A date? Seriously? You do realize Dark Magician Girl is a card don't you Syrus-kun?" Atsuko asked.

"Atsuko, it's a waste of time trying to convince Syrus otherwise," Zane said sadly, "When we were younger, Syrus once claimed he was once going steady with her." A mixture of disturbed and amused looks decorated the faces of the onlookers as they looked at their short friend.

"Going steady? What happened Syrus? Did you two agree to see other monsters?" Lucia giggled.

"Oh, give me a break. I was six back then," Syrus sighed, slapping his forehead.

"…You may have defeated my magicians but my deck is full of contingencies," Dimitri announced as he drew a card, "Such as this - I special summon Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight!" A blue and red armored knight appeared on his field, carrying a large red javelin in each hand. The knight was mounted on a golden dragon wearing armor and a saddle (ATK: 2300).

"But that's a level seven monster! You can't just summon without a sacrifice!" Jaden accused.

"I don't need any sacrifices if I summon it when I have no monsters out. Additionally, my lord knight shall not be alone," Dimitri announced as a black robed magician appeared on his field next to his knight, "I call forth his ally, the Skilled Dark Magician in attack mode (ATK: 1900)!"

"Skilled Dark Magician… That can only mean one thing," Lucia frowned.

"He wants to bring back his Dark Magician," Lynn realized, "But with my master magician on the field, that's not going to happen."

"I beg to differ. I play the equip spell Lightning Blade and equip it to my Lord Gaia! This magical sword will raise the attack points of my knight by 800 points," Dimitri explained as one of his knight's javelins was replaced with a sword whose surface crackled with electricity, "Of course, with a spell card having been activated, my magician's ability has been activated. He gains a spell counter."

Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight (ATK: 2300-3100)

Skilled Dark Magician counters: 0-1

"And so does my field spell," Lynn added as one of the windows in her tower glowed again with light.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 2-3

"Three counters from it will do you no good especially after this," Dimitri said as his knight raised his weapons, "Lord Gaia attack Endymion the Master Magician! Lightning spiral blast!" Sparks of lightning flew between the weapons as he fired a bolt of lightning towards Lynn's magician. Her monster countered with a barrage of black lightning. The duelists watched in anticipation as the attacks struggled against one another before Endymion was overpowered and struck down. As the magician vanished from the field, another spell counter materialized around Arcane Barrier.

 **Lynn's LP: 2200-1800**

Arcane Barrier counters: 2-3

"Now with him gone, Skilled Dark Magician, attack Sheik! Scepter blast!" Dimitri commanded as his monster's staff began to glow. Raising it, he fired a smaller but equally dangerous blast that consumed Lynn's warrior.

 **Lynn's LP: 1800-1700**

"You may have cleared my field, but you triggered my trap card Lost Legend's Resolve! With this card, I can add a level four or below Lost Legend from my deck to my hand and I'll choose my Lost Legend Tetra!" Lynn announced as her latest facedown flipped open and a card ejected from her deck and into her duel disk.

"Very well. I shall end my turn then," Dimitri concluded as he eyed the remaining facedown on Lynn's field.

"It's my turn then and I summon Lost Legend Tetra in attack mode!" Lynn announced as a blond, female monster in a blue shirt, pants with a red scarf appeared on her field. Smirking with confidence, she held a cutlass and pistol in her hands (ATK: 1200).

"Now check out her special ability. When you have more monsters than I do when she's summoned, I can summon another Lost Legend from my hand if its level is three or below," Lynn explained as she reached into her hand, "And I happen to have one in my hand. I summon Lost Legend Teba in attack mode!" A hawk's cry filled the air as Lynn's white flying birdman appeared on the field (ATK: 1400).

"Now for his special ability. When summoned, he destroys one face up spell card on the field and I choose your Lightning Blade!" Lynn continued as her newest monster drew his bow and arrow. Taking careful aim, he fired an arrow and knocked the weapon out the lord knight's hands.

Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight (ATK: 3100-2300)

"With that, I end my turn," Lynn concluded.

"That's it? That's all? Both of her cards are in attack mode and neither one can defeat Dimitri's monsters," Syrus stated worryingly.

"Yes, and what's more troubling is Lynn's barrier. Tetra is a spellcaster and she could've sacrificed her to use the barrier's effect to draw more cards," Bastion agreed, "If Lynn has a plan, I'm afraid I'm unable to deduce what it is."

"Let's hope Dimitri doesn't know either then because Lynn's life points are nearly gone," Lucia pointed out, "One more attack and this duel's over." Dimitri was having similar thoughts.

 _Lynn has two monsters on the field, two spells and one unknown trap card in play. That facedown card has been on the field for several turns now but she didn't play it last turn when I attacked. If she hasn't played it by now, then there's only one thing it could be – A bluff. With this next move, I'll be able to attack without fear._ Dimitri smiled as he drew a card.

"I activate the spell card Double Spell! Now by discarding one spell from my hand to the graveyard, I can borrow a spell card from your graveyard," Dimitri explained as he discarded his Polymerization card. As he did a beam of light shot from his spell and struck Lynn's graveyard slot on her duel disk and extracted a card which flew into Dimitri's outstretched hand.

"The card I shall choose is your Mystical Space Typhoon. Then I'll use it to destroy your Arcane Barrier!" Dimitri continued as a whirlwind consumed Lynn's spell card and destroyed it.

"Huh? Why destroy that card?" Alexis asked, "I think her facedown would've been the bigger threat."

"Maybe to the average duelist but I'm anything but. You didn't play that facedown card during my last several attacks. It's quite clear to me that card is nothing but a bluff. It's probably some random spell you drew but couldn't use," Dimitri analyzed. Lynn merely frowned as Skilled Dark Magician gained more spell counters from Dimitri's two spells.

Skilled Dark Magician counters: 1-3

"I take your silence as a sign that I am correct. It's only natural, seeing as how I'm the King of Games, and that my skill would permit me the ability to see through such an obvious bluff," Dimitri gloated.

"…Maybe but don't forget that my citadel has another ability. When a card with spell counters is destroyed, I can move those counters to my citadel," Lynn explained as three of the windows in the citadel came to life, "Plus, since you played two spells just now, my citadel gets two additional counters."

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 3-6-8

"Your castle may have more spell counters but so does my magician. Now he has three and with that, I can sacrifice him and my counters to call back my faithful servant. Awaken from your slumber Dark Magician!" Dimitri ordered as his black mage was replaced with Yugi's ace once more (ATK: 2500).

"Oh man! This isn't good," Syrus whined frightfully.

"Now Lord Gaia, let's put an end to this duel," Dimitri said as his knight raised his javelins once more, "Attack her Lost Legend Tetra! Lightning spiral blast!"

"This isn't good! If this hits, Lynn's done for!" Lucia gasped. Lightning crackled between the two weapons as the knight fired another barrage of lightning. Just as the lightning was about to strike her, a red-blue blur whisked her out of harm's way.

"The attack missed?" Lucia gasped.

"How can this be?" Dimitri demanded, "How did my attack fail?"

"That's how," Lynn said as she pointed upwards. Everyone looked up and saw that Tetra was holding onto the talons of another birdman monster. This one was younger and wore red robes. His head was covered by a main of white and brown hair with red eyes and a beak for a nose (ATK: 1300).

"I used the special ability of Lost Legend Komali! When a level three or below Lost Legend is attacked, I can call him to the field from my hand and negate your last attack," Lynn explained as her two monsters descended to the ground safely.

"A clever move but unless you have another, this attack will leave you down to nearly nothing! Dark Magician, dark magic attack!" Dimitri ordered as his monster raised his wand to strike, "Destroy Tetra now!"

"I don't think so Dimitri! I play my trap card," Lynn announced as her facedown flipped up.

"What? But your trap was a bluff!" Dimitri protested.

"That's what I wanted you to think!" Lynn announced as her three monsters jumped on one another's shoulders and formed a totem pole with Teba on the bottom, Komali in the middle and Tetra on top.

"What are your monsters doing?" Dimitri demanded.

"They're stacking up like a totem pole," Alexis noticed.

"They're doing this because of my trap Champion's Art – Tower Assault! When I have three level four or below legends in play, I can raise the attack points of one by the attack points of the other two until the end of the turn. I'll use it to boost Tetra's attack and destroy your magician." A barrier of wind wrapped around the totem as the attack points of the two birdmen were channeled into the human girl.

Lost Legend Tetra (ATK: 1200-3900)

The Dark Magician fired its attack but the wind deflected the magic blast. With the attack repelled, Tetra pulled out her pistol as the two birdmen whipped out bows and arrows. The three fired simultaneously, the arrows striking the Dark Magician in the shoulders. Tetra's shot was the kill shot however as it struck the Dark Magician dead center in the skull. The magician went limp as its wounds sent it to the graveyard.

 **Dimitri's LP: 4900-3500**

"No! This can't be! My magician's been beaten _again_!" Dimitri exclaimed, "How could this happen?"

"It happened because those cards don't belong to you. You can't know a deck that isn't yours. The real Yugi would've known my facedown was a trap. _He_ would've targeted it instead of my barrier," Lynn stated as Dimitri's turn ended. Dimitri gritted his teeth in anger, realizing he had been played.

 _This is NOT happening to me again. I refuse to lose with a world-class deck like this and against an Obelisk no less. I'm the King of Games. I'm Yugi! I can win this duel!_ Dimitri raged internally. Lynn however had different thoughts.

 _I may talk a big game but I've got three monsters in play and nothing in my hand that can overpower his Lord Gaia._ Lynn thought to herself as she looked down at her deck, _unless I draw something that can take out Gaia now…_ As the thought of not drawing what she needed raced through her mind, a wave of overwhelming rage filled her. Looking down at the card in her hand, she grimaced.

 _No! I won't risk using you! As badly as I need to recover those cards, I can't risk unleashing you._ Lynn thought fearfully. With that resolve, she drew a card. Looking at it, she grinned.

"Just what I needed. I sacrifice Tetra and Komali to advance summon Lost Champion Daruk!" Lynn announced as her two smaller monsters vanished for her fiery giant (ATK: 2800), "Now Daruk, take out his Lord Gaia!" Daruk let out a cry of rage as it ran towards Gaia. The knight raised its spears as its mount went into a steep dive. Daruk sidestepped and grabbed the spear. The knight cried out in surprise as Daruk yanked him out of his saddle. The Goron slammed him into the ground, destroying him but holding onto his lance. The dragon flew up trying to escape but Daruk tossed the spear like a javelin and struck it in the chest, destroying it too.

 **Dimitri's LP: 3500-3000**

"With a throw like that, Daruk should be in the Olympics!" Jaden cracked as the Goron flexed his muscles proudly.

"I agree but Daruk's not the only Olympic-quality warrior I've got. Teba, show "Yugi" your archery skills and attack his life points directly!" Lynn ordered. The bird warrior drew out his bow and quickly fired an arrow that struck Dimitri's duel disk before exploding.

 **Dimitri's LP: 3000-1600**

"With that, I'll end my turn," Lynn concluded, _it's almost over. He's got nothing left to fight with that can defeat Daruk._

"Alright! Lynn just cleared his field again," Syrus grinned.

"And with Dimitri's field clear and no cards in his hand, I can't calculate a way he'll get out of this," Bastion remarked confidently.

"Yeah, his next draw would have to be a miracle for him to get out of this situation," Chumley said as Dimitri drew a card. To the onlooker's surprise, Watapon and Breaker reappeared in front of Dimitri.

"It's not a miracle that I need. It's the heart of the cards and it has served me yet again. I banish one light monster and one dark monster in my graveyard," Dimitri announced as a vortex materialized beneath his monsters.

"Banishing monsters? What's he doing?" Chumley asked.

"Is it a summoning?" Syrus wondered.

"Nah, it can't be," Chumley said dismissively.

"No, it can be! I know three monsters that can be summoned this way. Three cards of such power that duelists around the world have attempted to add them to their collections. The first is Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End, a monster so powerful, it's currently banned from all Duel Monsters tournaments. Another is Chaos Sorcerer, a spellcaster monster with a balance of ability and power," Bastion explained.

"And the third card has power comparable to the Chaos Emperor but has never been forbidden on count of its scarcity. In fact, some say they don't exist anymore," Lucia added.

"Oh yeah? Well they're wrong. I have one right here! Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning!" Dimitri announced. The vortex suddenly exploded in a flash of light as a new monster appeared. Garbed in a full suit of ebon armor with gold accenting, it carried a curved sword and shield. Its body glowed a malevolent purple aura as it leveled its sword at Lynn (ATK: 3000).

"So Yugi really did have that card!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Yes. This card has been a part of my deck for a long time. I only take it out for… special occasions," Dimitri explained confidently.

"You may have gotten a miracle draw but my Daruk is resilient," Lynn cautioned, "He won't be beaten so easily."

"Yes, I'm well aware of your warrior's ability. Since it was advance summoned, it can't be destroyed in battle once per turn and its passive skill makes it so that it is the only monster I can attack. That's why I plan to use _my_ monster's ability! Darkness gateway!" Dimitri announced as his soldier raised its shield. Ports on it opened and streams of darkness fired out and cut into Lynn's monster. The onlookers watched in horror as a vortex opened from within Lynn's monster and sucked it in before vanishing in a smokeless explosion.

"What happened to my monster?" Lynn gasped.

"Your monster's been banished. When my soldier doesn't battle, he can banish a monster from the field instead," Dimitri explained as his turn ends, "That leaves you with one monster." Lynn's gaze went to Teba, her remaining monster.

"One monster…" Lynn frowned as her gaze went back to her hand, _and nothing in my hand to beat that ultimate soldier. I'm out of options._

"Don't lose hope yet!" A new voice called. All of the students turned to the source of the voice and eyes widened and mouths went agape with surprise as a new figure stepped forward. Garbed in an all-black outfit of jeans, shirt and leather jacket, his spiky hair was familiar to all.

"Whoa! It's him…" Alexis gasped.

"The King of Games himself! How cool is this?" Chumley grinned eagerly.

"Yugi Moto… Oh man, I left my autograph book back in our dorm room," Syrus whined. Yugi laughed.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Moto?" Lucia asked.

"I went to put the last of my cards in the display case and found the main case destroyed. I figured the thief hadn't gone far but I didn't expect to see my cards in a duel," Yugi explained, turning his attention to the duel.

"Who is this imposter who looks like me?" Dimitri asked, looking curiously at Yugi.

"Imposter? OK, it's official… This guy is certifiable," Jaden stated.

 _We have to end this duel before Lynn-hime uses that card. This might be my chance…_ Atsuko thought, before raising her voice, "Dimitri-kun! This farce is over. This is the _real_ Yugi-san and you have his cards!"

"She's right. It's time you handed them over," Bastion agreed, turning to Yugi, "You'll have to pardon our friend impersonating you. He's been on a long losing streak these past few weeks."

"I see," Yugi said, noticing the disappointed look on Lynn's face, "I take it things aren't going well for your friend?"

"She's been doing great but Dimitri's last draw really messed things up," Alexis explained.

"My Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning is one of the strongest warriors I've got. I can only imagine how your friend must feel, going up against one of my most powerful monsters," Yugi frowned.

"There may be a way you can help Mr. Moto. Is there any way Lynn can beat that thing?" Chumley asked. Yugi nodded.

"The card is powerful but there's something your friend doesn't know," Yugi said, "The central case he broke into _didn't_ contain my deck." Everyone gasped in surprise.

"It didn't?" Atsuko asked. Yugi nodded.

"The display your friend broke into contained my _favorite_ cards. My real deck has been disassembled and spread throughout multiple cases in the display room," Yugi explained, looking to Lynn, "And while Black Luster Soldier is my rarest card besides the Egyptian Gods, that case contained no support cards for it."

"No support cards?" Lynn gasped, _then maybe I still have a chance._

 _What? His favorites?! If that's true, I beat that lousy Slifer by sheer luck. Can't I ever catch a break!_ Dimitri inwardly winced, "It doesn't matter. As the King of Games, I can win with any combination of cards."

"I disagree," Yugi countered, "You have my cards, you may be imitating me, but you don't have the _heart_ of the cards!

"It's at this moment you need to believe in your cards and in yourself," Yugi advised, "Take a closer look inside yourself. Consider all that you have and what options you still possess and you will find the way to victory." Lynn looked at her hand and then her duel disk.

 _All that I have… What options do I have? I've got some spells in my hand but nothing that can take on that ultimate soldier. Then there's my field spell, fully loaded with spell counters and no monsters to use it with… My best monsters have been either sent to the graveyard or banished and I can't get them back…_ Lynn thought when a thought occurred to her, _or can I? Yeah, if I draw the right card now…_

"I suggest we conclude this duel now. You have no chance of defeating me now that I've called upon my greatest warrior monster," Dimitri said.

"I'm not quitting. I'm going to settle this with my last draw," Lynn said quietly.

"Then draw your card and face your defeat!" Dimitri ordered. Lynn looked down at her deck as she prepared herself to draw.

"This is it… My draw of fate…" Lynn said as she closed her eyes in concentration.

 _Heart of the cards… Guide her._ Yugi prayed as she drew a card. Lynn opened her eyes hesitantly and gazed upon her draw. As her eyes settled on the card, she smiled gently.

"Dimitri, your Black Luster Soldier may have been your trump card but with this spell, he's not going to be able to help you anymore," Lynn announced as she slotted in a spell card.

"What?" Dimitri gasped.

"Something tells me Lynn has drawn her _own_ gamechanger," Bastion smiled.

"I play the spell card Monster Reincarnation! With this card, I discard one card from my hand and get back one monster from my graveyard. I'll choose Endymion the Master Magician!" Lynn explained. She looked down at her hand at the card she feared. A wave of anger washed over Lynn as she discarded it and she retrieved her ace monster.

"For what good he does you. You have no means of summoning him," Dimitri remarked as the citadel gained another counter when he realized fearfully, "Unless…"

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 8-9

"Unless I could use my citadel and my monster's ability _again_!" Lynn finished as six counters from her field spell vanished, "And that's exactly what I'm going to do. Return to my field Endymion!" The tower doors swung open once more and from it, Lynn's monster walked out (ATK: 2700).

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 9-3

"Next I'll use my magician's ability! Since I called him to the field, I can return a spell card from my graveyard to my hand," Lynn explained as the Arcane Barrier spell reappeared in her hand, "But then I'll discard it to activate his special ability! By discarding my spell, I destroy your monster! Banishment seal!" With the recovered spell in hand, she immediately discarded it and gang watched as the magician raised his staff. Just like before, a seal of darkness materialized beneath Dimitri's monster and quickly consumed it.

"She did it. Well played," Yugi praised.

"My soldier is gone. My Black Luster Soldier is gone!" Dimitri exclaimed fearfully.

"That's not the only thing that's about to be gone!" Lynn added as her magician pointed his staff at Dimitri, "Your life points are next! Endymion, finish this duel with master magic blast!" Dimitri cried out in fear as a stream of dark magic struck him. The onlookers watched in happiness as Dimitri's life points vanished.

 **Dimitri's LP: 1600-0**

"Game over Dimitri. You lose," Lynn declared as the holograms faded.

"I've been beaten. Even with my… With Yugi's legendary cards," Dimitri winced as he fell to his knees, his voice back to normal, "What's wrong with me? Why can't I ever win?"

"The answer to that is obvious," A new voice said coldly. Looking up, the onlookers saw Dr. Stratton walking up to them.

"Dad?" Lucia asked.

"Dr. Crowler informed me that our esteemed guests cards went missing. I decided to hunt for them and found you here," Dr. Stratton explained, looking back towards the cliffs, "Though the truth is I found you all a while ago but the duel attracted more than just you lot and I decided to let it play out for your audience."

"Audience?" Lynn blinked, following his gaze. Everyone looked around and saw dozens of students had been hiding along the cliffs and rocks.

"Hey guys! Thanks for coming out," Jaden grinned. Applause broke out for the victor of the duel.

"Man, that Lynn sure can duel," A Ra commented.

"You think she tutors? I'm failing spellcasters," Another wondered as Dr. Stratton walked up to Dimitri.

"Dimitri, your problem isn't your deck. It's you and how you go about dueling. No matter how much you study someone or what's in their deck, you can't _be_ that person," Dr. Stratton explained.

"Dr. Stratton is right. It's OK to imitate someone, but only if it's to find out who you really are," Yugi added sagely, "Though you wielded my cards exceptionally well, even if you _had_ won, the victory would not have been yours."

"Not mine?" Dimitri asked.

"Even if you had beaten me, it's not one you would've been proud of it. Believe me, I know where Dr. Stratton and Mr. Moto are coming from. I used to copy someone else too," Lynn said, "But since I've started dueling as myself, I've discovered that you can truly call a victory earned when it is made with your _own_ effort."

"I don't get it," Dimitri admitted.

"She's trying to tell you that you need to make your own deck with your own strategies, not copying someone else's hard work," Dr. Stratton elaborated.

"…Oh I see," Dimitri said sadly.

"Now that you've learned your lesson, there is the matter of your punishment Dimitri," Dr. Stratton chastised, "I trust you didn't lose all of Mr. Moto's cards?"

"No sir. They're all right here," Dimitri sighed sadly as he removed the cards from his duel disk. He held them out reluctantly and Yugi took them and began checking to see if they were there, "So what happens now?"

"You stole someone else's property. The rules are quite clear I'm afraid. I have no choice but to report you to Chancellor Sheppard and have you expelled from the academy," Dr. Stratton said.

"Is such a thing really necessary? All my cards are here and appear undamaged. I would hate for this boy's talent to go to waste by expelling him from school," Yugi protested.

"I'm afraid the rules are quite clear. Stealing from other students, let alone guests, is not permitted," Dr. Stratton explained.

"You misunderstand. I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished, I'm saying expulsion is too harsh for this. At least lessen the charges. Maybe he can pay me back for the display case he broke?" Yugi proposed.

"Were it up to me, I would not hesitate to grant your request Yugi but that'll be up to the chancellor," Dr. Stratton replied, placing a hand on Dimitri's shoulder, "Come on Dimitri. We better go wake him up and let him know what happened." With that, he led the Ra away. Seeing that the excitement was over, the students began to clear out.

"You handled yourself very well out there. Were it not for you, my cards might've been lost or worse," Yugi said gratefully, walking up to the victorious duelist.

"It was nothing," Lynn replied modestly, "I'm just glad I got a chance to duel against your best cards. It gave me some more ideas for my own deck."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Yugi said as he reached into his pocket. When his hand came out, it held a single card which he held out to Lynn.

"Please take this as a token of my appreciation," Yugi offered.

"Oh, I couldn't…" Lynn protested.

"It's alright. I insist. This card will surely help you in duels to come," Yugi explained. Hesitantly, Lynn took it from him and looked at it.

"Magical Dimension…?" Lynn asked.

"It's from my collection of favorite cards. It has helped me through many a match and it can summon more than just my Dark Magician. It works on any spellcaster type monster and since you favor spellcasters, I thought it might be of use to you," Yugi explained. Smiling at the gift, Lynn slipped it into her deck case.

"I'll take it only because you say so," Lynn said reluctantly.

"It's a gift well-earned," Zane praised, "You might even say you've grown a little."

"I guess," Lynn said hesitantly, her gaze going to her case, _but not enough… Not enough to use_ it _yet._ As her thoughts lingered, she suddenly let out a loud yawn.

"You OK?" Alexis asked.

"I'll be fine," Lynn said, "Sneaking into the event hall, running about campus, dueling Dimitri… It's just been a long night."

"It has but before we call it, there's something I'd like to know. What card did you draw that you had freaked out?" Zane asked. Lynn stiffened as her hand went subconsciously to her deck case.

 _Uh oh! Was my fear really that obvious?_ Lynn asked nervously, "Freaked out?"

"Yeah. When you drew that card, you totally zoned out," Alexis agreed.

"Oh… It was a trap I thought I needed but I… couldn't use it," Lynn stumbled, stepping away from them, "Excuse me. I'm tired… I'm going to bed… Don't want to miss the exhibition tomorrow…" Her friends looked on in confusion as the girl dropped the duel disk and took off.

"…What was that about?" Zane wondered, looking at Alexis. The blond shrugged helplessly as her friend vanished into the night. With the excitement over, the rest of the night went by fast and the next morning soon dawned. The weekend had arrived and the exhibition hall was swarming with students. Many were eagerly looking at the merchandise and relics of Yugi's dueling career. The biggest gathering was at the central display where a Christmas tree-like wireframe was set up with Yugi's best cards mounted in it. Yugi was sitting at a table at the back, signing autographs and doling out dueling advice to eager students. On one side, Chumley, Lynn and Atsuko were watching the students.

"It's nice to see things finally getting back to normal," Lynn smiled.

"Yeah, well as normal as things get around here anyway," Chumley agreed as Jaden joined them. The Slifer was holding up a rolled-up poster.

"Hey Jay. What'cha got there?" Chumley asked.

"Just an autographed poster of the King of Games," Jaden grinned, unfurling it for his friends to see, "Sweet huh?"

"Hai, it is," Atsuko agreed as she unbuttoned her blazer and pulled it open, "But I got something better." Underneath was a T-shirt with Yugi on it complete with signature.

"A shirt? I didn't realize they had T-shirts here," Jaden said, "I gotta get back in line."

"Gomen'nasai Jaden-kun, but I got the last one," Atsuko apologized but before he could retort, a voice cried out and the four friends looked and saw Syrus running up to them.

"Syrus, what's going on?" Jaden asked.

"It's Dimitri. He's at it again," Syrus explained, pointing behind him, "Just take a look!" The friends looked and immediately winced. Dimitri had just walked in but his spiky hair had been let down and dyed blond. His yellow blazer had been sloppily died blue and white, his ears pierced with blue studs and lip gloss was on his lips. What was extremely embarrassing however was that he had two bulges underneath his shirt, giving him the appearance of breasts.

"Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me," Atsuko groaned.

"First he's a copycat, now a cross-dresser," Chumley noticed.

"This is so embarrassing," Lynn sighed as he walked up to them.

"Hey, you there! I'm Lynn. Would you like to duel?" Dimitri-Lynn asked demurely. The boys sweat dropped and the girls gave him a flat look.

"Sorry, I'm trying to protect what little dignity I have left," Lynn groaned.

"Ugh! Looks like losing to you wasn't enough to drive the point home," Syrus noticed.

"I've got this," Atsuko said assertively, cracking her knuckles.

"Uh, what are you doing…?" But whatever Dimitri was going to say next was lost when Atsuko's fist slammed into his face. Surprised by the blow, Dimitri landed on his back a fresh shiner around his eye.

"Dimitri, it's high time you learned. It doesn't matter if you copy someone, you can't copy what's in their heart," Atsuko recited as she dusted off her hands.

 _What's in their heart… Yeah but what if what's there isn't enough?_ Lynn thought worryingly as her thoughts drifted to what lay in her deck.


	14. School Duel Dilemma Part One

With the chaos of Yugi's visit at an end, Alexis and Zane were at the usual spot at the lighthouse. The sight and sounds of the ocean filled their senses as they watched the waves and talked.

"Learn anything new about your brother?" Zane asked.

"No. It's just one dead end after another," Alexis replied, "Every time I think I have a lead, I get stonewalled or lose the trail. This is one mystery I'm starting to think I can't solve."

"You'll figure it out. If you're anything like your brother, you'll find a way," Zane smiled slightly, "I've never known a problem or mystery he couldn't figure out."

"Yeah… Speaking of mysteries, I can't figure out what's up with Lynn," Alexis admitted.

"You're talking about the panic attack from the other night?" Zane asked. Alexis nodded.

"She won't talk about it," Alexis explained, "I tried getting her to open up but she just shuts down. The way she was acting, you'd think she turned into Syrus or something…"

"His fear was caused by a single card. The fear in Lynn's eyes were nothing like that. Whatever she felt in that moment in her duel with Dimitri, it was _nothing_ like the fear that used to control Syrus," Zane contested.

"Well I want to know what it is, but she won't say anything to me. It's not like Syrus where he wasn't afraid to admit he was scared. Lynn's full on covering it up," Alexis said.

"People deal with fear in different ways," Zane replied sagely, "And she will deal with it, one way or another." Back at Obelisk Blue, the subject of their conversation was in her room. Curled up in her bed, her gaze on the deck of cards sitting in her hand. The bottom card of the deck, the source of her fear, was the sole focus of her mind.

"Why'd you have to come back into my life?" Lynn asked it, "You made it clear that I was unworthy of you and yet you keep popping up like a bad draw." A long roar from the card echoed in Lynn's bones, refreshing her fear. Lynn covered her ears and closed her eyes as terrible images filled her mind. A shadow hovering over her… A body on the floor… Her hands covered in blood…

"I can't… I won't use you again!" Lynn cried out, getting up. Pulling the card out of her deck, she opened the top drawer of her vanity. Inside was a tin case with cards in it. Placing the troublesome card in it, Lynn slammed her drawer shut. Taking a breath to calm herself, she turned away from her vanity and found herself staring into the blue eyes of a boy about her age. His white-blond hair was the same shade as her own and he was dressed in an Obelisk blue outfit similar to Zane's. Around his neck was a triangular pendant like Lynn's but its gems were topaz, amethyst and amber.

"Kai?" Lynn asked. He raised his left arm and a duel disk materialized on his arm. A second appeared on Lynn's own arm as the bedroom vanished. She suddenly found herself on a balcony standing opposed to him. Three silhouettes were behind him, cloaked in shadow (ATK: 2500 X 3). On Lynn's field, she had Magician's Valkyria, Defender and Breaker poised to battle (ATK: 1600). Both players' hands and fields had no other cards.

 **Lynn's LP: 200**

 **Kai's LP: 1500**

"You can't win with what you've got. There's only one way you can beat me," Kai challenged. Lynn looked down at her deck and saw the top card was glowing blue. Reluctantly, she drew the card and as it came loose, the entire arena was filled with blue light. The sky darkened as Lynn's three monsters were engulfed in pale blue crystal. Against her will, Lynn raised the card high as her three crystalized monsters turned into energy that flew into her card. A fearsome roar filled the arena as a massive silhouette appeared behind Lynn. The temperature in the room dropped tremendously as the creature hovered overhead. The two humans backed away in fear as the monster turned its gaze at its summoner and then her opponent. Lynn's monster growled fiercely as icy energy gathered in its maw.

"No…! Please! Don't do it!" Lynn begged but her pleas fell on deaf ears as giant loosed a tremendous blast that consumed Kai and his three monsters. The boy cried out in agony as the force of the blow knocked him off his feet and towards the edge of the balcony. Lynn ran desperately towards him, her hand outstretched towards his. He reached back but it was futile as he cleared the balcony's edge. Lynn got to the balcony's edge in time to see him fall into the darkness below, his screams echoing in her ears.

"Kai… No…" Lynn cried into the darkness. Seeing that he was gone, she fell to her knees as tears formed in her eyes.

"What have I done?" Lynn whispered. Her lament and self-loathing was short-lived however as a low growl echoed from behind her. She turned and saw her monster hovering over her, its mouth filling with energy once again. Lynn trembled in fear, unable to move.

"Lynn… Lynn… Wake up!" A voice echoed in the distance, but it fell on deaf ears as the monster fired another blast. Lynn closed her eyes and screamed… As a pair of hands clutched her face and the familiar voice of Ms. Fontaine filled her ears.

"Lynn, please _wake up_!" Ms. Fontaine urged. Lynn's eyes shot open and she found herself back in her bedroom with her teacher sitting next to her. Lynn felt cold and clammy, a layer of sweat soaking her pajamas.

"Ms. Fontaine?" Lynn gasped fearfully.

"It's me. You're alright now dear. Just take deep breaths. You were having a nightmare, that's all," Ms. Fontaine explained soothingly, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. As she did, she immediately grew concerned.

"Lynn, you're trembling…" Ms. Fontaine noticed.

"What's going on?" A new voice asked. Turning to the door, Ms. Fontaine saw Jasmine and several girls standing at the doorway.

"Oh girls. Somebody just had a nightmare that's all," Ms. Fontaine assured them, "I've got things…" But what she was going to say was interrupted as Lynn went limp in her arms.

"Lynn? Are you alright? Say something!" Ms. Fontaine demanded, seizing the girl's wrist, "She's fainted…" Reaching into her pocket, Ms. Fontaine pulled out her cell phone.

"This is Fonda at Obelisk Blue. I need a medical team for a student who's passed out. Hurry!" Ms. Fontaine ordered into the phone.

 **Chapter Fourteen: School Duel Dilemma Part One**

A new day at Duel Academy had arrived. Everything seemed to be normal but at this moment, the teachers were gathered in one of the conference rooms discussing matters related to the school. What they were discussing however was one of the most important things to them and the school.

"Well now that we've settled that, we have just one last thing to discuss," Miss Stratton said, looking at her itinerary, "I've received email from Chancellor Foster of North Academy. He's looking forward to the School Duel."

"Ah yes, the first big event after winter break. I don't know about you all but I anticipate yet another Duel Academy victory," Dr. Stratton smiled. A round of chuckles showed everyone was in agreement with him.

"Yes seriously. We've swept him six years in a row now. Lucky seven will be easy," Dr. Crowler laughed.

"Not so fast Dr. Crowler. Foster and I have been talking. We've decided to change things up this year. Instead of one duel, we're going to have a best of three," Chancellor Sheppard announced.

"A best of three?" Professor Banner asked.

"Yes, we've decided that with the release of the new formats in the Pro League, we should give our students a chance to show off their skills in more than one duel style. We're going to have duels in the speed, advanced and master format rules. Best of three takes victory for their school," Chancellor Sheppard explained.

"Well that seems simple enough. With Zane leading the charge, this'll just give us two more ways to humiliate our archrival," Dr. Crowler grinned, thinking of his best student.

"It's not quite that simple Vellian," Miss Stratton interrupted, "Foster has requested that for this year's School Duel that both of our schools should be represented by first years only."

"What? Zane won't be a part of this? Well that won't be a problem. We have lots of great Obelisks who could handle Foster and his students," Dr. Crowler declared, nodding to himself.

"I agree we have great students in Obelisk Blue but I've decided to make things more interesting by not using all students from Obelisk Blue," Chancellor Sheppard replied, "For this tournament, I've decided to open the enrollment for this challenge to students in Slifer Red and Ra Yellow as well."

"I beg your pardon! We're doing _what_?" Dr. Crowler screeched in shock.

"You heard me. I think we should use one representative from each dorm to compete in the School Duel," Chancellor Sheppard said, "It's just a matter of who will compete. Has anyone got any ideas about who we should put in?"

"If I may be the first to put names on the table, I have a possible candidate from Slifer Red," Professor Banner replied, "I was thinking Jaden Yuki."

"That slacker? Oh no! He has no respect for rules or teachers. Why would we put him in the middle of the most important match of the year?" Dr. Crowler demanded angrily.

"Because he's our best first-year student," Professor Banner explained.

"No no no! We can't let that _slacker_ represent our school!" Dr. Crowler protested, slamming his hands down on the table in frustration.

"I agree with Vellian. Jaden may be the best duelist in the first-year class, but he hasn't earned the right to duel in such an important match," Dr. Stratton agreed dismissively.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Professor Banner asked.

"His grades in the classroom put him at the bottom of the barrel. Now if you need a representative from Slifer Red, may I suggest Atsuko Fujibayashi?" Dr. Stratton proposed.

"The samurai duelist? She's not bad, but I still think Jaden would be better suited for this duel," Professor Banner disagreed. Dr. Stratton leaned up from his chair, prepared to defend his choice when his wife stepped in.

"You both have good choices and good reasons for making them. Perhaps we should let them settle this with a duel?" Miss Stratton proposed.

"A duel to choose our Slifer candidate? Not a bad idea," Dr. Stratton conceded, "I was thinking we may need to do that with my choices from Ra Yellow."

"Oh? You had an idea for representatives from Ra Yellow?" Chancellor Sheppard asked.

"I was thinking Bastion or Lucia," Dr. Stratton said, "Both of them are extraordinarily smart and are two of our best students in the classroom _and_ on the duel field. Either one would make an excellent choice."

"Really? I do hope your desire to include Lucia isn't because she's your daughter?" Ms. Fontaine cautioned.

"Look at her records and grades and tell me she's not an acceptable candidate," Dr. Stratton challenged.

"OK, let's not start fighting amongst ourselves. What about Obelisk Blue? We need a first year from there as well," Chancellor Sheppard reminded, looking to Dr. Crowler and Ms. Fontaine, "Do you two have any ideas?"

"An excellent question. I'm leaning towards Alexis Rhodes. She's top-ranked in our first years in Obelisk Blue…" Dr. Crowler grinned, looking to Ms. Fontaine, "What do you think Fonda?"

"Your choice is a good one Dr. Crowler, but I have someone else in mind. What about… Lynn Hero?" Ms. Fontaine proposed reluctantly.

"Lynn? What makes you think she's a good choice?" Professor Banner asked.

"She's well-rounded as a duelist and she's shown some remarkable growth as of late," Ms. Fontaine explained, looking to Miss Stratton, "Just look at her last duels on record." Miss Stratton tapped a few figures on her tablet and brought up the data she was looking for.

"She dueled against Syrene at the start of the year and won. She lost to Zane during the promotion exams. She defeated Missy and Dimitri when he stole Yugi's cards," Miss Stratton read, "According to records, she has adapted to the new rule formats more easily than most students have. She would make a good representative except isn't she presently in the infirmary?" Ms. Fontaine's enthusiasm faded at the comment.

"Yes. That's why I was hesitant to recommend her. She's been having nightmares these last couple of nights. She passed out in my arms so I got worried and had the medical team bring her in," Ms. Fontaine recalled, checking her watch, "In fact, I need to go check up on her when we're finished."

"This breakdown doesn't look good for her especially if we don't know what the nightmares are about. Maybe involving her in the biggest match of the year might be too much to ask of her?" Dr. Stratton frowned. Dr. Crowler immediately flinched.

"Now hold on! The school duel isn't for two more weeks. Who's to say she won't recover by then?" Dr. Crowler protested, "At least let her know we're thinking she should participate. If she feels like she's being valued as a duelist, maybe she'll feel better?" No one looked convinced by Dr. Crowler's comment.

"…Very well. We'll run it by her and see what she thinks," Chancellor Sheppard conceded. It took all of Dr. Crowler's willpower not to break out grinning.

"Well we have six candidates. Assuming Lynn is up to it, we'll have three duel offs. Slifer VS Slifer, Ra VS Ra, and Obelisk VS Obelisk! The winner of each shall represent our school in the School Duel," Professor Banner acknowledged, "But which dorm would duel in each format?"

"I say we let our representatives decide that. They'll be the ones dueling after all," Dr. Crowler proposed, smirking inwardly, _not that it matters. Jaden isn't dueling in the School Duel. I'll make sure of that. Now if only they'll agree…_

"That's a good idea Dr. Crowler," Professor Banner agreed, looking around for confirmation, "Is that OK with everyone?" Multiple consents and agreements were reached.

"Then it's decided. Let's inform the students and get things set up with Foster right away," Chancellor Sheppard ordered. With the details worked out, the meeting ended and the teachers moved off to continue their business. Dr. Crowler was giddy with a mix of anger and excitement.

 _Yes! Yes! We'll let the slackers play around for a bit but rest assured, that Slifer slacker is not dueling in the School Duel!_ Dr. Crowler vowed, his anger rising, "That slacker won't make a fool out of me _this_ time!" While Dr. Crowler was out planning his next move against Jaden, Ms. Fontaine headed upstairs to the office area of the school. Rarely visited by students, one of the rooms was her office. Adjacent to it was the school's infirmary. Equipped with the finest medical equipment money could buy, only one of its beds was presently occupied. Lynn lay in a bed by herself, awake reading a book.

"So you're awake. How are you feeling Lynn?" Ms. Fontaine asked.

"I'm alright I guess though a little confused as to how I ended up here," Lynn confessed nervously.

"You don't remember? You passed out after having a nightmare," Ms. Fontaine explained.

"A nightmare?" Lynn wondered, _not good. Guess it's reappearance got me more worried than I thought._

"You don't remember? You were screaming so loud dear, I thought someone was trying to kill you," Ms. Fontaine remarked, "Do you want to tell me what it was about?"

 _Uh oh. I can't tell her about it. Think Lynn think,_ Lynn mentally scrambled, "Honestly, no. I can't remember anything." Ms. Fontaine was unconvinced.

"Lynn, you've had nightmares three nights in a row. You really don't remember anything?" Ms. Fontaine pressed. Lynn shook her head.

"Well if you remember anything and want to talk, don't be afraid to let me know, "Ms. Fontaine insisted, "I'm going to request that you remain here for one more night under observation. I don't want you being left alone right now."

"OK. If you say so," Lynn sighed.

"I know that's not what you to hear, but how about some good news? The School Duel is approaching and you've been selected as one of the candidates to represent us," Ms. Fontaine smiled.

"The School Duel?" Lynn questioned.

* * *

Meanwhile, out at sea, someone else was having problems of their own. Having been outed as a cheat, Chazz had left the academy in his family's private yacht. Unfortunately, he was presently stranded, his boat stuck on a reef, its nose tilted upwards. All alone with no lifeboats, he sat on the bow of the ship with what provisions he had left.

"I can't believe this. Lousy crew took all the lifeboats… Left me here all alone," Chazz grumbled.

"You were alone from the start," A voice echoed from the mists.

"And now I'm hearing things… Lousy scrubs… It's all their fault. Dr. Crowler, Bastion, Lucia, Atsuko, Jaden…" Chazz lamented, the images of his previous defeats running through his mind, "I'm gonna wipe those ugly grins right off your faces… No one defeats the Chazz." In his tired mind, he could see his old classmates hovering around him. Atsuko stood off to his left, her arms crossed in disgust.

"You treat us like scuffs on brand new boots. Now you're the one who needs polishing… Polishing off," Atsuko's voice echoed, "Do us all a favor and begone from our lives."

"The only one getting polished off is you, you samurai slacker!" Chazz growled angrily, before weariness set in, "But not today. First, I gotta get out this mess."

"Mess is right. You tossed my cards into the sea and now you're stranded there," Bastion's voice said.

"I'm not stranded. I'm perfectly fine," Chazz growled, reaching for a water bottle, "A little thirsty maybe…"

"Thirsty? I'm thirsty for a rematch. I'm practically _parched_ for it," Jaden's voice laughed.

"I just want another shot. One more duel, that's all I want," Chazz mumbled.

"One more duel? That's all? I'd want to not be stranded," Lucia laughed.

"Ugh! Be quiet!" Chazz roared, tossing the bottle towards the voice. The images of his opponents vanished as the bottle landed amidst the waves.

"No! My last bottle of water!" Chazz cried. He desperately leapt overboard, trying to grasp it. His effort was in vain though as the waves consumed it.

"Oh great. What else can go wrong today?" Chazz wondered aloud. A rumbling noise followed by screeching metal answered him. Turning around, he saw a tidal wave slam into the yacht. It freed the boat but the damage immediately caused it to sink. As it did, the force of gravity began to pull everything around it inwards. Caught in the tide's grip, Chazz immediately began to paddle away for his life. It was futile however as the force of gravity along with his exhaustion pulled him under.

 _No! I'll get you all for this…_ Chazz whined as his body tiredly sunk beneath the waves.

* * *

"The School Duel? Seriously?" Jaden gasped eagerly. Classes had ended for the day but Dr. Stratton and Chancellor Sheppard had pulled Jaden, Atsuko, Lucia, Bastion, and Alexis aside to a conference room where the news was to be broken.

"That's right. It's the first big competition of the year. We have a rivalry with another school, North Academy. Once a year, we face off with them in a competition. This year, Duel Academy is facing them in a best of three tournament," Dr. Stratton explained, "And you all have the opportunity to represent us."

"Sounds totally sweet. Sign me up!" Jaden grinned.

"Not so fast Jaden. This tournament may be best of three, but only three students will compete," Chancellor Sheppard explained.

"Only three? There's five of us here," Lucia analyzed.

"Actually, there should be six. Lynn has also been chosen as a candidate, if Ms. Fontaine gives her the green light and she's up to it," Dr. Stratton corrected.

"OK, so we've got six candidates. How's this going to work exactly?" Atsuko asked.

"After debating it with the other staff, we've decided to use one student from each dorm. You will compete against each other for the right to duel in the competition… Unless you want to back out first," Chancellor Sheppard offered.

"Back out of a duel? No way. I am so in," Jaden grinned. The other four teens looked at one another, briefly sharing grins before nodding.

"Chancellor, I think Jaden speaks for all of us. We all want to compete," Lucia agreed.

"Very well. Assuming Lynn joins us, we have three duel formats to prepare for. You are all familiar with speed, advanced and master dueling, right? Then we will need one competitor for each format," Dr. Stratton explained.

"If that's the case, I'd like to duel in the speed duel format," Bastion said, "I have been most fascinated by it for some time now. How about it Lucia?"

"I can work with that. Anyone have any objections?" Lucia asked.

"That's fine by me. The rest of us have decks that don't really support speed dueling styles anyway," Alexis analyzed, "We just need to figure out which of us will duel in the advanced and master duels. All four of us have decks that work better with both."

"I'm game for either as long as I _get_ to duel," Jaden grinned.

"Then allow us to duel in the advanced duel Jaden-kun. We shall leave the master duel to Lexi-chan and Lynn-chan," Atsuko insisted.

"Fine by me. I've been wanting to duel you for a while. Guess this is my chance," Jaden said.

"Well I guess it's settled then. Assuming Lynn is up to the challenge, we're all set. We'll have our own tournament on Friday. That gives you three days to prepare," Chancellor Sheppard declared, "Best of luck to all of you."

* * *

The ocean had not been Chazz Princeton's end. Cold and pain were the first things he felt when he woke up. His muscles tired and stiff, Chazz wearily opened his eyes. His vision blurred, Chazz groaned as he closed them again wearily.

 _Hey Boss… Hey Boss… Wake up Boss!_ A childish voice cried out, _this is no time to be sleeping, Boss. If you don't get up, I'll have to use my wake-up dance…_ Chazz opened his eyes again, his vision clearing and saw a floating ball of light. Within it was a tiny yellow monster whose eyes were on the ends of stalks. Its only clothes were a pair of red undies with white-flower prints.

"Go away…" Chazz mumbled, swatting the light aside. Before he could close his eyes again, a painful slap to the face rattled him.

"I'd love to, but you're on my ship and that's a problem. Get up!" A more forceful voice ordered. Chazz cried out in surprise as multiple pairs of hands pulled him to his feet. Adrenaline roused him as Chazz's vision cleared. The scent of the sea filled the air as he realized he was on another boat. He had been pushed against a metal railing. Looking over the side, he realized he was at least stories above the waterline. Chazz then turned around and faced his rescuers only to briefly blinded when spotlights lit the deck of the ship. When his vision cleared again, he found himself face to face with over a dozen souls in outfits consisting of dark jeans, black shirts and blazers. All of them wore caps and scarves to protect their heads, save for the leader who had spoken. She stepped forward, revealing herself to be a teenager whose long brown hair was tied back in a long French braid. Her piercing red eyes and pale face amidst the darkness gave her a ghostly appearance.

"This isn't a pleasure cruise, kid. You don't get to lay around. What's your name?" The girl ordered.

"Where I'm from, I'm kind of a big deal. The name's Chazz, Chazz Princeton," Chazz sneered.

"Chazz Princeton? The duelist who recently left Duel Academy after being caught cheating? That Chazz Princeton? I've heard of you alright," The girl replied dismissively, "Your name is all over Duel Academy's social media sites. You failed to defend your position at Obelisk Blue and attempted to steal someone's deck to save your sorry hide…" Chazz gritted his teeth, reminded of his failures.

"Running is weak and we don't tolerate weak around here," The girl asked.

"I wasn't running. I'm gonna be the next Duel Monsters champion and I'll spend any thing to get there," Chazz protested angrily. The girl burst out laughing and turned to her comrades.

"Champion? You? Hey everybody! This silver spoon fool thinks he can become a champion with _money_ ," The girl laughed tauntingly. The others laughed with her as Chazz felt his anger rise.

"The only thing money buys you around here is wallet space. Guts and ruthlessness are what we North Academy duelists are about," The girl continued.

"Hold on! Did you say North Academy? As in Duel Academy's archrival?" Chazz interrupted.

"Yeah that's right, and I'm Kylie Harbinger, top-rank duelist of North Academy," Kylie introduced, her arms out wide, "And these are my peeps. We were on our way back from a training mission with the chancellor when one of my boys spotted your boat going down. Since you seem to be school free at the moment, why don't you join us?"

"Me? Enroll at North Academy?" Chazz asked.

"What? It's not like you got anywhere else to go right? Who knows? Maybe you'll even get the chance to duel Jaden again," Kylie proposed.

"Jaden? How do you know about him?" Chazz wondered.

"You talk in your sleep. Must've been a pretty bad loss for you to have nightmares about it," Kylie remarked.

"She's got you there Chazz. You may be wearing blue but you sure turned yellow fast," Jaden's voice echoed. Chazz ground his teeth in frustration.

"That slacker got lucky. I'm going to get stronger, come back and crush him. You can count me in," Chazz agreed, "So what do I gotta do to get in?"

"You'll see shortly. Here come the docks now," Kylie pointed out, pointing behind Chazz. Turning around, he saw the ship was nearing land. Land however was not what Chazz was expecting. Instead of soil and rock, the entire region ahead was covered in ice and decorated with frozen glaciers. Beyond them was a large stone fortress, accessible from a single wooden gate. Chazz waited patiently as the ship docked and the crew disembarked. Once on land, Kylie faced him.

"Alright, we're here. Now it's time for the test," Kylie declared.

"Test? What test?" Chazz asked.

"It's simple. Not just any student gets to walk into our school. You have to earn the right to do so. We've got cards scattered all over the school grounds. Your test is to find forty, build a deck, and reach the school gates," Kylie explained.

"What? Find forty cards? Can't I just use the ones I have?" Chazz asked as he reached for his deck pouch. Pulling it open, he cried out in surprise. All of his cards were gone.

"Oh, you mean these?" Kylie asked back, pulling out a deck of cards, "Sorry. No such luck. That's part of the test. You'll have to make the most of what you can find. You only to have find forty. If you want better odds, you'll have to brave the elements as long as necessary. I wouldn't advise it however. The nights around here get pretty… brisk."

"Forty cards… Fine but since you've got my deck, can you at least throw me a lifeline or something?" Chazz asked.

"A lifeline huh? OK, I think I can manage that," Kylie agreed, putting Chazz's deck away. Reaching into a pouch at her hip, she pulled out a single card and tossed it to him. Looking at it, he winced. It was a card of the same monster he had dreamed about.

"What? Some no name? This stinks!" Chazz whined, "What the heck am I supposed to do with a useless Ojama Yellow card?"

"Look at it this way. It's one less card you have to look for," Kylie pointed out, "But hey, if you don't want it…"

"Tch… Fine. I'll play your game," Chazz agreed, putting the card into his empty card pouch, "I'll find the other thirty-nine, and then I'll come pay you back for this humiliation." With that, Chazz stormed off into the snowy wastes.

 _We'll see._ Kylie thought as she climbed onto a snowmobile bound for the school. For Chazz, the next several hours were hell. Despite the freezing weather, his anger and determination kept him warm as he searched all across the grounds for cards. By the time he finally found the cards he had needed, the sun was starting to set.

 _Forty cards at last… Man, talk about a school that's tough to get into._ Chazz thought to himself as he approached the gates. As he did, he saw a duel disk lying outside the door. Taking it, he inserted his new deck and the device turned itself on.

"Alright. I got forty cards. Let me in already," Chazz called out. His prayers were answered as the gates swung open. A burst of warm air greeted him as he got his first look at the school's interior. Resembling a cowboy style western town, the buildings were simple two-story structures of wood and glass.

"This is North Academy. Looks like the TV set of some bad western," Chazz commented.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," A familiar voice disagreed, "I think it looks kind of neat." Confused, Chazz looked around but didn't see anyone. Looking behind him, he saw the Ojama Yellow spirit behind him.

"Who cares what you think? You're just a figment of my imagination," Chazz said dismissively.

"Oh don't be like that Boss. We duel spirits have feelings too you know," Yellow pleaded. Chazz's answer was to slap the spirit away, making it vanish.

"So you made it. Color me surprised," Another voice called out. Turning around, he saw the students from before gathering around. Looking up, Chazz saw Kylie sitting on the balcony of one of the buildings close by.

"Of course, I did. So what next?" Chazz asked back. The girl didn't reply immediately. Instead, she raised one hand and snapped her fingers. At this signal, many boys came out onto the streets, all armed with duel disks.

"What happens now is that we determine your entry rank. Using the cards you collected, you will duel these guys from weakest to strongest. If you succeed in beating them all, you can challenge me to a duel for a chance to be the strongest student on campus," Kylie explained.

"Not that you will get that far," One of the boys taunted as he stepped forward, "You'll have to defeat all of us first."

"So all I have to do is defeat you losers and I can challenge the best the school has to offer? Sounds interesting," Chazz smiled at the challenge, "All right, you scrubs! Who wants to be first?"

* * *

Back at Duel Academy, a day had passed and Lynn had been cleared to return to classes. Her day had ended and she was back in the comfort of her room. Sitting at her desk, she had her laptop out and a video chat going. On the opposite side, Lynn could see the boy from her dream sitting at his own desk. The time difference showed the early morning sun was rising out of a nearby window. While she was in her pajamas, the boy was reading a red hoodie, a triangular pendant and jeans. Despite the early hour in his time zone, he was wide awake.

"Hey Sister. What's going on?" The boy asked, "Your text sounded urgent."

"Let's just say it's been a rough couple of days. After everything that's been going on lately, I had to hear your voice Kai," Lynn replied sadly, pulling one of her cards into view, "It showed up again."

"Seriously? You left it at home. What's it doing there?" Kai wondered.

"I don't know. It just showed up in the middle of a duel," Lynn explained, "Since then, I've been having recurring nightmares about that day. The day it…" For the briefest of moments, the images of the nightmare returned in her mind.

"Hey. You couldn't have known that was going to happen. The duel just got out of control," Kai soothed.

"And it wouldn't have gotten out of control if I had completed the ritual as intended. I failed and you paid for it when I tried to play the card before I'd earned it," Lynn sighed.

"I know that," Kai said, pulling himself away from the computer. Lynn felt immense guilt as she saw her brother was not sitting in a computer chair but a wheelchair.

"After all, I'm the one in the wheelchair after all," Kai reminded her. Lynn said nothing and a terse silence briefly filled the conversation, neither sibling unsure what to say.

"…I'm just so afraid at this point. I don't want to duel for fear of drawing it and being tempted to play that card again," Lynn admitted.

"Afraid huh… Hey. Do you remember the time Mother taught us how to tame and ride wild horses?" Kai asked.

"Yeah and you kept falling off so many times you broke your arm in two places," Lynn recalled.

"After that happened, you got scared and decided not to ride anymore," Kai continued, "I didn't want you to give up though. As soon as I healed up, I went back and tried again."

"Yeah and you did it too. You inspired me to try again, and I was soon riding right beside you," Lynn smiled.

"Well that just proves the old saying is true. You fall off the horse, you gotta get back on… Or in this case, if you're afraid to duel, you need to get back on the duel floor," Kai replied.

"And if it reappears during a match?" Lynn asked.

"Then ignore it and keep on dueling. That card may be yours and you may not be able to rid of it, but you don't have to use it if you don't want to. After all, a duelist's cards respond to the wishes and skill of the duelist holding them," Kai lectured, "Or did you forget Mother's lessons since you arrived at Duel Academy?" Lynn looked away shamefully.

"…I guess I did," Lynn admitted, "But still…"

"Don't make me bring up the promise you made me," Kai threatened playfully.

"The promise?" Lynn asked.

"Seriously? You forgot that too? Once I get out of this chair and once you get that spirit under control, we were going to have the rematch of the millennium to determine which of us is the better duelist," Kai reminded her.

"Oh, that promise. No, I didn't forget but didn't the doctors say that you had only a ten percent chance of a full recovery?" Lynn asked worryingly.

"I'd take the chance if it was less than _one_ percent. Ten percent is still a chance and I plan to put in the work. I want to be able to stand over your sorry butt when I take you down again," Kai grinned confidently before cutting the connection.

"Stand over… Oh dream on little brother!" Lynn fumed, staring at the home screen of her laptop, _still, he has a point. I can't keep letting my fear get the best of me._ Setting her laptop aside, she turned to the cards scattered over her desk. Her resolve renewed, Lynn began working with her cards. On the other side of the world, Kai looked at his blank screen and grinned.

"Nothing like female pride to jump start my sister back into the game. Here's hoping things work out for you Sister," Kai said to the screen.

* * *

Hours of dueling had led up to this. The North Academy duel gauntlet was coming to an end. Chazz was on his fiftieth opponent and was about to finish him off. The only monster on the field was a skeleton monster in crimson armor.

"Time to finish this. Skull Knight, attack him directly," Chazz ordered. His knight leapt forward and struck his opponent.

 **Opponent's LP: 1000-0**

"You go bye bye!" Chazz taunted as his opponent fell to his knees, "That's number fifty. Guess that makes me the best." Up on the balcony, Kylie had watched with interest.

 _This boy's better that I thought._ Kylie thought, _he might be useful to me. There's still one test left._

"Not so fast Chazz. You're not done yet. You still have two opponents remaining. Myself and Aqueous," Kylie pointed out, pointing towards the school. Looking up, Chazz saw a navy-haired girl with a pale face waiting for him. Garbed in the same black outfit as the rest of the students, her green eyes were dark with boredom.

"That's right," The girl said as she walked up to him, "So don't go resting on your laurels just yet."

 _Great and I'm so tired already. Feels like I've been dueling all day._ Chazz Yellow appeared over his shoulder.

 _You have Boss._ Ojama Yellow remarked.

"Zip it," Chazz muttered, slapping away the spirit before saying aloud, "Alright, let's get this over with."

"I agree. I was in the middle of a good book when you showed up," Aqueous sighed as she pulled on a duel disk, "Do me a favor and lose quickly will you?"

"Lose quickly? Not a chance. I'm taking you down," Chazz promised as he readied himself. The girl's interest didn't pique in the least as she put her deck in her duel disk.

"Sure whatever," Aqueous sighed.

"Duel!"

 **Aqueous' LP: 4000**

 **Chazz's LP: 4000**

"The battle begins with me. I set one monster in defense mode and end my turn," Aqueous said as a single hidden monster appeared on her field.

"Then it's my turn and I summon Giant Rat," Chazz announced as a human-sized rat appeared on his field (ATK: 1400).

"Somebody better call maintenance. We got a rodent infestation here," One of the students catcalled.

"An infestation is the least of your problems. Giant Rat attack!" Chazz commanded, his monster scrambling forward. Aqueous' monster flipped over, exposing a fish-faced humanoid monster carrying two shields on its arms. Garbed in blue armor, its shields resembled yellow-green fish fins. Bringing the two shields together, the monster easily blocked the attack and sent the rat back to Chazz's field (DEF: 1600).

"Too bad. The card you attacked was Atlantean Heavy Infantry. Its defense easily repels your rodent," Aqueous chastised as the battle damage set in.

 **Chazz's LP: 4000-3800**

"Whatever. No big deal. I end my turn," Chazz concluded.

"Then it's my turn again. I summon Needle Sunfish," Aqueous began as a blue fish monster with orange-spike teeth appeared on the field (ATK: 1500), "Then I'll activate Heavy Infantry's effect. As long as it remains face up on the field, I can normal summon another level four or below sea serpent type monster during my turn. I'll use that effect to summon Atlantean Marksman." Chazz winced as a third monster appeared on the field. Like heavy infantry, it wore similar armor but instead of shields, it carried a bow gun loaded with tribolt arrows (ATK: 1400).

"What is this? A remake of Creep from the Deep? Your monsters aren't threatening in the least," Chazz taunted.

"I'm not here to threaten you. I'm here to put you in your place. I equip the spell card Hydro Pressure Cannon to Needle Sunfish," Aqueous continued, unfazed by Chazz's comment. Turbines attached to both sides of the blue fish.

"Why play that card? It doesn't do anything for your fish's attack points," Chazz wondered.

"There's more to consider that just attack points. Needle Sunfish, attack Giant Rat. Needle typhoon," Aqueous ordered calmly. The turbines equipped to her monster began to spin wildly. Once at full strength, two typhoons fired towards Chazz's monster as the fish fired a stream of spikes. Both attacks struck home, slaying Chazz's monster.

 **Chazz's LP: 3800-3700**

"Now I activate Hydro Pressure Cannon's effect. When the monster equipped with it destroys a monster in battle, you are forced to discard one card from your hand," Aqueous added the turbines unleashed a second tornado that consumed one of Chazz's cards.

"I didn't need that card anyway. I have my rat's ability! It lets me summon an earth attribute monster with 1500 or fewer attack points from my deck. I choose Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 800)," Chazz countered as a massive feral panda bear appeared on his field, "And don't get the idea that he's cute and cuddly. He gains 500 attack points for every monster on your field. You have three monsters out so my panda gains 1500 attack points."

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 800-2300)

"Your monster's points are irrelevant especially with this now on my field," Aqueous said dismissively as a single facedown card appeared behind her monsters, "It's your move."

"Irrelevant huh? Not the word I'd choose," Chazz challenged, drawing a card, "Especially since I drew this. I summon Field-Commander Rahz." Aqueous didn't react as a human warrior appeared in blue, battle-damaged armor. Carrying a steel sword, his tattered cape fluttered in the wind (ATK: 1600).

"And since a field commander isn't very good fighting on his own, I'll use his ability to move a warrior monster to the top of my deck," Chazz added as he began shuffling through his cards, "The monster I choose will be Dash Warrior."

"Dash Warrior… Yet another boring, weak card," Aqueous yawned, "Especially since you won't draw it until your next turn."

"That may be true but I still have these two to attack you with! Gyaku-Gire Panda attacks your Atlantean Heavy Infantry!" Chazz ordered, his bear leaping in for the attack, "And don't think playing defense will save you! My panda can inflict piercing damage." The bear's claws scraped against the water monster's shield but to Chazz's amazement, it wasn't destroyed. Instead, it pushed back until the bear was forced to retreat back to Chazz's field.

 **Aqueous' LP: 4000-3300**

"What happened? Your merman should be fish food!" Chazz demanded angrily.

"It's thanks to my trap card," Aqueous replied, pointing to her facedown card as it flipped up," It's called Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord. When activated, all of my level three and below water monsters are immune to damage until the end of this turn."

"Your monsters may be safe, but _you're_ not. Commander Rahz, attack Needle Sunfish," Chazz continued, his warrior leaping at the piranha-like monster. Its sword clanged against the fish's skin but failed to pierce it.

 **Aqueous' LP: 3300-3200**

"Another futile gesture. It isn't destroyed due to Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord's effect," Aqueous reminded him as the warrior returned to Chazz's side.

"Tch. You got off easy this round. I throw down a facedown and end my turn," Chazz concluded as a single card materialized on his field between his monsters.

"It's my turn then and I'm feeling generous. Since your commander failed to destroy my fish last round, I'm going to give him a second swing at him. Needle Sunfish, attack Commander Rahz," Aqueous announced as her fish launched another barrage of spikes. The commander raised his sword and parried them aside. With the spikes repelled, Rahz rushed in and thrust his sword down the fish's throat.

 **Aqueous' LP: 3200-3100**

"Well that was pointless. You just wasted a monster," Chazz grinned.

"Did I?" Aqueous challenged quietly, "You're the one about to be wasted." With that, her fish exploded in a shower of spikes. The spikes rained across the field, most of them injecting themselves into Chazz's panda.

"In case you were wondering, when my sunfish is sent to the graveyard, one of your monsters loses 500 attack points. I've chosen to lower your panda's power," Aqueous explained as the panda groaned in pain.

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 2300-1800)

"And let's not forget. Since I have one less monster, your panda loses 500 more attack points," Aqueous added as the panda grew weaker.

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 1800-1300)

"Whoa… She gave up her own life points just to weaken the new guy's monster," One of the bystanders gasped.

"That's Aqueous for you. She'll do whatever it takes to win," Another frowned, causing Kylie to smirk.

"Now that your panda is weak, I'll rid the field of it. Atlantean Marksman attack," Aqueous ordered her marksman taking aim at Chazz's monster.

"I don't think so. I activate my Shield Spear trap card. This raises my panda's attack points by 400," Chazz countered as a spear materialized, its point reinforced with a circular shield.

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 1300-1700)

The panda's shield blocked the shot and promptly charged in. The marksman futilely fired several more shots but ultimately failed as the panda landed a fatal stab on the creature. The Atlantean's fins went limp as it dropped its bow and disappeared.

 **Aqueous' LP: 3100-2800**

"Not bad but not unexpected. I end my turn and since my end phase has arrived, Shield Spear's effect ends and your panda loses its power boost. Not only that, I have one less monster, so your panda loses another 500 attack points," Aqueous pointed out as the panda's weapon vanished.

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 1700-1200-800)

"My panda may be back to its original attack points, but I'm not beat yet," Chazz growled as he drew a card, "I summon Dash Warrior in attack mode." A flash of red light briefly lit the field as a moped-like monster in red armor appeared on Chazz's field. Instead of handlebars, it had a human-like torso with a pair of hands bared in fists (ATK: 600).

"Now Dash Warrior, attack her Heavy Infantry! Crimson dash!" Chazz ordered. The monster's engines revved up as it rushed towards Aqueous's shield bearing monster.

"A waste of effort. Your monster's attack points are too low," Aqueous dismissed.

"Only for the moment. You see, during the battle, Dash Warrior's attack points rise by 1200," Chazz explained as a red aura surrounded his monster. Aqueous frowned as the warrior's fist punched through her monster's shield and destroyed it.

Dash Warrior (ATK: 600-1800)

"You may have destroyed my last monster, but your panda is now at its weakest," Aqueous cautioned.

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 800-300)

"Maybe but as you said, you're out of monsters now. Gyaku-Gire Panda, attack her life points directly!" Chazz ordered. The panda roared as it stumbled forward and clawed Aqueous. The girl didn't react as the attack swiped away some of her life points.

 **Aqueous' LP: 2800-2500**

"That was just a scratch," Aqueous sniffed, "Hardly worth worrying about."

"Well my Field-Command Rahz is going to leave more than a scratch! Attack her directly," Chazz continued as his other warrior leapt in and struck Aqueous. Once again, the attack did nothing to worry her as her life points were reduced significantly.

 **Aqueous' LP: 2500-900**

"I think that's enough damage for now. I end my turn," Chazz concluded as Dash Warrior's aura decreased in intensity, "And now that my turn is done, Dash Warrior's attack points return to normal."

Dash Warrior (ATK: 1800-600)

"Whoa, this guy has got some game," One of the students watching commented.

"No one has ever gotten Aqueous's life points down this low in a long time," Another agreed. The comments did not go unnoticed. While Aqueous had a world-class poker face, her thoughts were starting to race.

 _No challenger has pushed me this far in so long. This might actually be… troublesome._ Aqueous thought. She drew a card and sighed.

 _Or not._ Aqueous corrected as she slotted in the spell card she drew, "It's my turn and I play the spell card Salvage. This lets me return two water monsters with 1500 or fewer attack points from my graveyard back to my hand. I choose to add Atlantean Marksman and Atlantean Heavy Infantry." The two cards glowed as they shot out of her duel disk and into her waiting hand.

"For what good they do you. Neither is strong enough to defeat my commander," Chazz grinned.

"You're right which is why I activate another spell card, Moray of Greed. This card lets me return two water monsters in my hand back to my deck, shuffle up, and draw three cards," Aqueous explained as she shuffled her cards into her deck, "I'll return the two cards I retrieved with Salvage and draw three." The exchange done, Aqueous drew her cards and sighed.

"Aw what's the matter? Didn't draw anything good?" Chazz taunted.

"It's just the opposite. I drew _exactly_ what I needed," Aqueous countered, the smallest of grins forming on her face, "I just can't believe I have to resort to _this_ to win." Chazz raised an eyebrow, confused about the girl's words.

"I summon the tuner monster Deep Sea Diva in attack mode," Aqueous announced. A geyser of water burst out of the floor and from it came a pink mermaid monster (LV. 2 ATK: 200).

"Tuner monster?" Chazz wondered, "What the heck is that?"

"You're about to find out. I use my diva's special ability. When normal summoned, she let me summon one level three or lower sea serpent type monster from my deck to the field. I choose my Spined Gillman!" Aqueous continued as a second bulky monster. Carrying a barbed red trident, the aquatic blue beast walked on two legs, its backside was covered in dozens of blue spikes (LV. 3 ATK: 1300).

"Now I tune my Diva and my Spined Gillman!" Aqueous announced as her two monsters took to the air. Her Spined Gillman turned into three stars as Deep Sea Diva formed two rings.

"What? Hold on! What's going on?" Chazz demanded.

"It's the hidden power sleeping in Aqueous's deck coming awake. Every time she uses it, she always wins," Kylie smirked to herself.

" _ **When the moon rises, the tide ebbs and horror emerges from the depths. Rise to the surface and drown my enemies,"**_ Aqueous chanted emotionlessly as the stars and rings formed a line. A flash of light engulfed them as a new monster materialized. It was a blue, serpent-like monster with wings and claws. Made of solidified water, it roared fiercely as it landed behind its mistress.

"I synchro summon Sea Dragon Lord Gisihilnodon," Aqueous announced grimly (LV. 5 ATK: 2300) as Chazz's panda regained some attack points.

Gyaku-Gire Panda (ATK: 300-800)

"Synchro summon? What the heck is that? You owe me an explanation," Chazz ordered.

"…Very well. Synchro summoning is a special kind of summoning that involves tuner monsters and non-tuner monsters. I tune them and call forth a monster from my extra deck whose level exactly equal that of the monsters that I use. Diva was level two and Spined Gillman was level three. That means I can summon a level five synchro monster like my dragon lord," Aqueous explained, "And now that lesson time is over, Gishilnodon, destroy Dash Warrior." The dragon roared as it fired a blast of water that swamped Chazz's red monster.

 **Chazz's LP: 3700-2000**

"I end with a facedown," Aqueous concluded as a single card materialized behind her serpent, "…To think I had to waste this power on you. Just hurry up and lose already." Chazz gritted his teeth in anger.

"Waste power huh… I'll show you," Chazz growled, drawing a card.

"Show me what? How to be bored out of my mind? You may be doing OK with that junk deck but I'm seriously getting bored here," Aqueous yawned.

"Well you won't be bored for long. I release my Field-Command Rahz to advance summon Great Maju Garzett," Chazz announced angrily. His warrior vanished and in its place emerged a grotesque monster of red flesh. Brown fur emerged from gaps in its armor as it crossed its arms in contempt of its opponent (ATK: ?).

"He may start out weak but Garzett's effect causes its attack points to become equal to _twice_ the attack points of the monster that was released," Chazz explained.

"Field-Commander Rahz had 1600 attack points. Twice that is 3200 attack points," Kylie quietly analyzed as Chazz's monster powered up with demonic energy, "But that won't finish Aqueous."

Great Maju Garzett (ATK: 0-3200)

"And to make sure I finish you off, I equip Garzett with the Stimpack equip spell card. It gives Maju Garzett 700 more attack points," Chazz continued as a vial filled with a putrid green solution appeared in his monster's claws. It seized the potion and quickly drank it. Once empty, it dropped the vial as the muscles underneath its armor bulked up.

Great Maju Garzett (ATK: 3200-3900)

"3900 attack points… If this attack lands, the new guy wins," One of the bystanders realized.

"Now Great Maju Garzett attacks your Gishinildon. Venomous breath!" Chazz ordered as his monster launched a barrage of purple mist at the water dragon, "This duel is mine."

"A calculated attack but I already calculated how to deal with it. I activate my trap card Synchro Deflector. This card blocks your attack and destroys your demon," Aqueous countered as her facedown flipped up. A barrier of light wrapped around her monster, repelling the mist. Once the mist was gone, the barrier shattered and its shards flew towards Chazz's fiend and impaled it. The monster groaned as it succumbed to its wounds and exploded.

"I switch my panda to defense mode. Then I throw down a facedown and end my turn," Chazz growled as his panda hunched over with a single card at its heels (DEF: 1600), _This isn't good. My best monster's been beaten and all I've got left is my facedown card Castle Walls and it won't help me in this situation. Guess it can't be helped. If she summons another monster, I'm going to lose this._

"You seem worried. I do hope my trap didn't make you change your mind about coming here," Aqueous reflected.

"No way. In fact, it's just the opposite. I learned something since I arrived. I learned life deals you all kinds of cards, and sometimes you have to make the most of what you've got," Chazz explained, "So if I do happen to lose here, at least I know I gave you all I got." For the briefest of moments, Aqueous's eyes met Chazz's. Unbeknownst to him, she was looking deeper than his eyes.

 _Those eyes… Something's changed in him since arriving. Chancellor Foster was right. There is a champion sleeping in there somewhere. Well, guess I better end this._ Aqueous thought as she drew, "Your dueling is admirable but this is over. I activate the field spell A Legendary Ocean." As she slotted in the spell card, a tidal wave flooded the field. The boys watching cried out in surprise as the entire battlefield submerged itself as ruins of an underwater city emerged around the two duelists.

"Relax you idiots! This battlefield is fake," One of the boys shouted out.

"Too bad its effect isn't. As long as it remains in play, all water monsters in our hands have their levels reduced by one. Additionally, all water monsters in play gain 200 attack points," Aqueous explained, "Which is good news for me since I release Gishinodon to advance summon Levia-Dragon – Daedalus." Her synchro monster promptly vanished as a new serpent monster appeared in its place. Bigger than Gishilnodon, its blue body and red fins shimmed in the water (LV. 7-6 ATK: 2600-2800).

"I use Daedalus' effect to send A Legendary Ocean to the graveyard and destroy all of your cards," Aqueous announced. The serpent drew in breath, sucking up all the water until the area was bone dry. The water didn't stay gone for long though as the dragon released a torrent that washed away Chazz's two cards.

Levia-Dragon – Daedalus (ATK: 2800-2600)

"Levia-Dragon – Daedalus attack directly," Aqueous said with finality. Her serpent hissed as it fired a blast of blue energy. Chazz, to his credit, didn't flinch as the blast struck him and depleted the last of his life points.

 **Chazz's LP: 2000-0**

"Game over. Well I guess we know where you stand," Aqueous said as she put her deck away.

"I guess so… Guess I'm not getting my shot at Jaden after all," Chazz sighed tiredly.

"Oh I wouldn't say that young duelist," A new voice replied. Looking up, Chazz saw a new figure approach. Garbed in a heavy brown coat and yellow scarf, the figure was a male adult was bald on top with brown hair sticking out on all sides of his head. Spectacles protected his gray eyes and his lower face was covered with a five o'clock shadows' worth of facial hair.

"I'm this school's chancellor. The name's Foster. I knew you had potential so I had my students lure you here to test your skill," The man greeted.

"Oh yeah? And how'd I do?" Chazz wondered.

"You may have fallen short of beating everybody, but you made it to the top three of the school and that's enough for you to get what you want," Foster explained.

"What? You mean I get another shot at Jaden after all? But how?" Chazz asked.

"The School Duel is coming up. This year, my good friend Chancellor Sheppard and I have decided to have a best of three match this year. He's pitting three of his best students against three of ours," Foster continued, "Starting to see where this is going?"

"Three best students… Is Jaden going to be among them?" Chazz demanded, his hope rising.

"He's dueling for the right to represent Duel Academy right now," Foster chuckled, "But even if he loses, you may still get a shot at revenge because his opponent is Atsuko Fujibayashi. Her name ring any bells?" Chazz's hope immediately turned to anger as he recalled his first encounter with her.

"Oh yeah… I remember her. She humiliated me at the beginning of the year," Chazz fumed, "At this point, it doesn't matter. As long as I get to duel one of them, my revenge will be so satisfying. Count me in." Chazz held out his hand and the chancellor immediately shook it. As she watched the exchange, Kylie jumped down from her balcony perch and walked up to Aqueous.

"So we have our threesome…" Aqueous noticed, studying her nails.

"Duel Academy doesn't stand a prayer of a chance," Kylie snickered.

"…Indeed. After all, I have foreseen it," Aqueous said, looking up her. For the briefest of moments, the two girls' eyes met and Aqueous's eyes glowed a brilliant green…


	15. School Duel Dilemma Part Two

With the excitement of the School Duel fast approaching, the days were going by quickly. The day of the duel off had arrived. Scheduled for the end of the day, everyone was talking about it. In fact, Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Bastion were sitting together at lunch discussing the excitement that was to come.

"So Bastion, you all set to duel Lucia?" Syrus asked.

"Oh yes. I've just finished making some alterations to my deck this morning. I ran the numbers and I must say this is my best deck yet," Bastion boasted, pulling out his cards. Chumley and Syrus frowned upon seeing it. Unlike normal decks, this one was only half the size.

"Uh are you sure you've got all the cards you need? That deck is kind of small," Chumley noticed.

"Half a deck is all I need. Unlike normal duels that you wage with forty cards, speed duels are fought with a bare minimum of twenty cards," Bastion explained as he put his deck away.

"Only twenty? Talk about not playing with a full deck," Syrus thought worryingly.

"Fear not Syrus. I too thought the same thing, but then I realized I can make up for my lack of cards by using the right Skill," Bastion reassured him.

"A Skill?" Syrus asked. Bastion nodded.

"Indeed. Skills are abilities you can use during a speed duel. They aren't card specific and you can use them at any appropriate moment. You can use them to raise your life points, draw extra cards, power up your monsters and so on. There are so many new variables with this play mechanic. It made it pretty tough for me to settle on a strategy," Bastion admitted.

"And yet you're all set to go," Chumley grinned, "What's your strategy going to be?"

"I don't want to spoil anything but I imagine Lucia will not like what I have in store for her," Bastion replied modestly.

"Then fine, keep your secrets. What about you Jay? What's your strategy going to be for the advanced duel?" Syrus asked.

"Strategy? That's easy. I'm going to get my game on and give her all I got," Jaden grinned.

"Isn't that your usual plan?" Bastion asked wryly.

"Yeah, don't you think you should have a _better_ plan? I mean Atsuko is really good," Syrus pointed out, "She might even be better than you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Sy," Jaden groused.

"Come on. I didn't mean it like that," Syrus whined, "I just want you to take this seriously."

"I am taking it seriously," Jaden insisted, pumping a fist, "As seriously as I can anyway. I'm so excited to finally have a chance to duel Atsuko." At that moment, Dr. Crowler spotted the four boys and grinned maniacally.

 _Time for plan fear._ Dr. Crowler thought before strutting up to them.

"Ah Jaden my boy. So good to see you," Dr. Crowler greeted happily, patting the boy on the back.

"Oh hey Dr. Crowler. What's up?" Jaden asked.

"Oh nothing really. I just wanted to wish you luck in the duel off this afternoon. After all, it's not every day a Slifer Red, let alone a first year, gets a chance to compete to represent Duel Academy in the School Duel," Dr. Crowler pointed out, "It's quite the honor really."

"I know. Pretty exciting huh?" Jaden grinned.

"Yes and should you win, you'll be facing off with a top-ranked duelist from our rival school. Oh the pressure you would be under to win…" Dr. Crowler said worryingly, his tone reversing.

"Pressure?" Syrus asked worryingly.

"Oh yes. The duelists who represent us must be iron clad examples of what duelists should be. Why if they fell short… Oh I dare not think of what would happen. Why should you fall short and lose, everyone here would hate you. The shame! The humiliation! I wouldn't want to think about it," Dr. Crowler shivered fearfully.

"Humiliation?" Syrus echoed, fright filling him. Images of Jaden losing and boos filling the air filled his mind.

"If you wanted to back out, I'm sure everyone would understand," Dr. Crowler said soothingly, patting Jaden's shoulders, "How about it Jaden? Having second thoughts?"

"…Not in the least," Jaden grinned, "I'm ready to draw cards and take names, but hey I appreciate that you care Doc." Dr. Crowler's eye twitched in annoyance.

 _Can't this slacker take a hint? I don't like him in the least and I CERTAINLY don't want him dueling in the School Duel!_ Dr. Crowler mentally fumed, before saying, "Well if that's the way you feel, I'll let you get to it then." With that, he stormed off.

"Good old Dr. Crowler. Always looking out for me," Jaden grinned.

"To get into trouble," Bastion muttered, silently amazed at his friend's density, "Jaden, it would appear to us that Dr. Crowler is trying to get you to quit the School Duel."

"What? Really? Nah, he wouldn't do that to me," Jaden denied as he finished the last of his food, "OK guys. I'll see you later today at Obelisk Arena for the big duel off." Grabbing his tray and bag, Jaden walked off as Dr. Crowler watched from behind a pillar.

 _Rotten slacker. You're sure full of yourself but I'm not giving up yet._ Crowler growled. _If I can't convince you to leave, I'll convince the school not to let you duel… Time for plan B…_

 **Chapter Fifteen: School Duel Dilemma Part Two**

Despite the excitement of the duel off, one competitor was deeply concerned… Concerned enough that she was on the roof of Duel Academy with a satellite phone in hand. Out of sight of everyone, Atsuko was locked in a conversation with someone only she knew.

"…This is a most unfortunate development. Learning the ins and outs of Duel Monsters was the goal of this mission. Her Highness was not supposed to be a part of an event this big and neither should you," The caller scolded.

"I'm well aware. Lynn-hime makes her own decisions. I can only respect them," Atsuko replied, "And besides, my cover is still solid. I have done nothing to…"

"What you've done is irrelevant. Back out of the duel, now," The caller ordered.

"It's too late for that. I duel Jaden-kun this afternoon in front of the whole school. If I back out now, it will look seriously out of character for me," Atsuko said, " _That_ would blow my cover."

"Then throw the match. Whatever you decide, do _not_ participate in the School Duel. That is an order," The caller hissed, "And you are to get the princess to quit as well. We've gone to great lengths to keep her identity secret."

"With all due respect, I don't think we can _keep_ that secret much longer. Lynn-hime's friends are growing curious and the nightmares she's having aren't helping either. Sooner or later, I believe she's going to have to come out and tell the truth," Atsuko protested.

"Not now she won't. It'd be too soon and besides, there's another reason she shouldn't compete. Kylie Harbinger is among the challengers from North Academy," The caller continued. Atsuko frowned at this information.

"That a joke? Cause I'm not laughing," Atsuko growled.

"This is no laughing matter Atsuko. Kylie knows Lynn's identity. If they should meet, Kylie will almost certainly reveal it," The caller stated, "If Lynn participates in the School Duel, it will be over for her." Atsuko's eyes narrowed at that declaration.

"Do whatever it takes. _Neither_ of you are to compete in the School Duel," The caller stated once again before hanging up. The Japanese girl winced as she put the phone away.

 _That may be a problem considering I want to duel Jaden-kun. I wish to see his strength for myself…_ Atsuko lamented.

"Hey there. I thought I'd find you up here," A voice called out. Turning to the source, Atsuko saw Lynn was walking up to her.

"Thinking about the duel coming up?" Lynn asked.

"Yes, but I just heard from my superiors. They don't want us to duel in the School Duel. They think it would expose us both," Atsuko explained.

"That risk always hangs over my head, no matter what I do," Lynn reminded her, "But I spoke to Kai the other day. He reminded me I can't keep letting fear hold me back. If I backed out now, I'd never forgive myself."

"Your strength inspires my lady," Atsuko complimented, "But you must weigh the risks carefully before you commit to this. Are you truly prepared to risk such exposure?"

"I'm ready, come what may," Lynn resolved, "but what about you? You have the same orders I do. You can't stand out either. Wouldn't participating also blow your cover? After all, you have those one of a kind cards from your mother."

"I know but I'm not planning on using them," Atsuko said.

"What? But without them your deck won't be at full strength," Lynn protested, "Do you have your rare cards on you?"

"I have them but I'm not using them…" Atsuko muttered.

"Unbelievable. You _cannot_ duel a duelist like Jaden Yuki with a deck at half strength. Put them back in your deck," Lynn ordered insistently. It was then the school bell rang.

"That's a shame. It's time for my match," Atsuko said disappointedly, walking past her blond friend.

"Atsuko, I'm serious," Lynn insisted. Her words fell on deaf ears though as the Asian girl headed back into the school. Angrily, Lynn ran to the stairwell entrance and caught sight of Atsuko as she rounded the corner to enter the arena.

"This isn't your style of dueling Atsuko. It's not who you are," Lynn pleaded at the girl's back, "At least _consider_ putting them in your deck." Atsuko briefly glanced back at her friend before walking off. Lynn watched her friend disappear into the stadium. Knowing she'd get no further answers, Lynn took a different door and followed the steps upward to the balcony seats in Obelisk Arena where Chumley, Syrus, Mindy, Jasmine, Zane and Alexis awaited her. Clustered together in the top rows, they had a perfect view of the action.

"There you are. We were afraid you were going to miss all the action," Mindy greeted as the girl took a seat.

"Sorry. I was wishing Atsuko luck," Lynn replied.

"Must've been a long wish," Jasmine remarked. Lynn grinned nervously as she watched Jaden and Atsuko approach the center of the arena. They briefly traded decks and cut and shuffled them.

"Hey Atsuko. Ready to get your game on?" Jaden asked as they returned their cards to one another.

"Always Jaden-kun," Atsuko agreed. Stepping away from one another, they took their positions and put their cards in their duel disks as Dr. Stratton stepped forward with microphone in hand.

"Welcome everyone to the great duel off! Today we will decide which three duelists will have the honor of representing Duel Academy in the school duel," Dr. Stratton announced, "In our first match, we will have two of our strongest Slifers facing off. On the right side, we have the owner of the Elemental Heroes, Jaden Yuki!" Jaden waved to the crowd but to his surprise, the students were _booing_ him.

"Boo! Get off the stage you loser!" A student's voice called out.

"No one wants a slacker representing Duel Academy!" Another egged on.

"Only Obelisks should represent the school!" A third shouted out.

"Settle down all of you!" Dr. Stratton ordered, undaunted by the behavior of the students, "On the left side, we have the Six Samurai beauty, Atsuko Fujibayashi!" Atsuko bowed respectfully but just like Jaden, she too was soon bombarded with boos and discontent. It seemed like everyone was against them save for the other Slifers and their friends.

"Aw man. Why is everyone acting so mean to them?" Syrus asked.

"They're Slifer Reds, and they're bottom of the barrel. No one wants a Slifer slacker representing the school," Jasmine stated coldly.

"Hey show some respect. Those are our friends down there," Lynn protested.

"Your friends. Not mine. I can't stand Slifers, especially Jaden," Jasmine huffed disgustedly.

"He's a good duelist and a nice guy. Why would you hate him?" Lynn wondered defensively.

"Because he's not good enough for Lex," Jasmine murmured. Lynn raised an eyebrow in curiosity but chose to say nothing. On the opposite side of the ring, Bastion and Lucia were sitting behind the teacher's booth, awaiting their turn to duel.

"Ignoramuses. Just because they're Slifers doesn't mean they aren't good candidates to represent Duel Academy," Lucia pouted. Bastion nodded in agreement

"Indeed. Given their successful dueling records, this hatred is unnecessary," Bastion agreed. Dr. Stratton cringed as he watched the two duelists take in all the hatred around them. Sitting in the teacher's booth near the middle of the ring, Chancellor Sheppard, Professor Banner, Dr. Crowler and Miss Stratton were frowning at the students' behavior.

"This is awful," Miss Stratton frowned worryingly.

"Oh yes I agree. Perhaps we shouldn't them let compete after all?" Dr. Crowler recommended but underneath, he was ecstatic.

 _Plan B is going according to plan. A few off-hand comments from me to my students before entering the arena and now the staff's got chaos on their hands. To restore order, Chancellor Sheppard will have no choice but to order them off the field now._ Dr. Crowler thought eagerly, "What do you say Chancellor? We certainly don't want to displease the students." Chancellor Sheppard looked unsure but he was saved when Atsuko angrily walked up to Dr. Stratton.

"Give me that," Atsuko ordered quietly, seizing the microphone, " _QUIET_!" Atsuko's angry shout had everyone covering their ears but successfully quieted everyone down.

"I know most of you think we don't deserve to duel in the School Duel but if I may point out, not one of you earned that right. If you think I'm wrong, the line starts over there," Atsuko challenged, pointing to her side of the arena floor, "But before you do, may I point out that Jaden-kun defeated Crowler-hakase, Chazz-baka, Titan, Lumis and Umbra. I, on the other hand, was selected because I have skill equal to his. So knowing that, if you _still_ think you're strong enough to challenge us, Jaden-kun and I will demolish _every last one of you_!" An uneasy silence filled the arena as the students contemplated her words. A few Obelisks were preparing to get up to act on that threat but a quick glare from Dr. Stratton or Chancellor Sheppard made them sit back down.

 _No! Curse that slacker for having a backbone!_ Dr. Crowler internally whined as Atsuko handed back the mic.

"Alright, that's enough out of you. Go back to your corner," Dr. Stratton ordered quietly, the girl following his direction before saying aloud, "If everyone is finished voicing your complaints, let's get underway. Let the first duel of the duel offs commence. Jaden Yuki versus Atsuko Fujibayashi! The format will be an advanced duel with 4000 life points. Jaden has been preselected to lead off… Now begin!"

"Ikuze, Jaden-kun!" Atsuko urged, "Let's show these guys how Slifers battle."

"I'm all for that Atsuko!" Jaden nodded eagerly and cheers from the Slifers turned the crowd around. Cheers and polite applause filled the air as the two Slifers drew their opening hands.

"Duel!"

 **Jaden's LP: 4000**

 **Atsuko's LP: 4000**

"Alright, get your game on! I set one monster in defense mode. Then I'll throw down a facedown and call it a turn," Jaden said as his two cards materialized on his field, "You're up Atsuko."

 _A set monster and a facedown... Most likely that's Phantom Magician and Hero Signal... He used that combo against Lumis and Umbra. Triggering it now would be bad. However, I have to lose so..._ Atsuko thought as her green-clad samurai appeared on the field (ATK: 1400), "Watashi no turn! I summon Six Samurai Nisashi in attack mode! Now Nisashi, attack that facedown monster! Double sword strike!" Following her command, the samurai charged in with glowing green swords as Jaden's monster flipped open, exposing Phantom Magician briefly before destroying it (DEF: 1000).

"Thanks for that. When Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle, I can special summon a hero monster from my deck with 1000 attack points or less," Jaden grinned as he pulled out his deck, "And while I'm at it, I'll use Hero Signal and call out another hero!" Shuffling through his cards, he pulled out two and returned his deck to his duel disk. A pillar of flame and a pillar of ice erupted on his field as the cards Jaden selected were slapped down on his duel disk. The flames dispersed revealing Burstinatrix (ATK: 1200) but the second monster was new. Short in stature with a dark blue bodysuit and boots, its big blue eyes poked out from its helmet and ice crystal armor over its torso (ATK: 800).

"Not bad Jaden-kun. I end with a facedown," Atsuko concluded as a single card materialized on her field, _so far so good._

"Well that was certainly unexpected. Setting a card and a monster facedown... Jaden might as well have been broadcasting Atsuko his strategy," Lucia scoffed.

"I agree. Atsuko knows Jaden runs a fusion deck. Helping him to summon the monsters he needed was not a wise move on her part," Bastion agreed. Lynn's friends were having similar thoughts.

"This attack made no sense. Atsuko's proving she's just as bad as Jaden," Jasmine dismissed.

"Don't be so sure of that," Lynn disagreed, "Knowing Atsuko, she's just feeling him out. She's trying to get a bead on his plan." Jasmine suddenly burst out laughing.

"Whoa, Jaden having a plan? Oh, that's rich!" Jasmine laughed, "It may not have occurred to you Lynn, but that idiot relies more on instinct than planning. He likely didn't come to the duel with a strategy at all." Lynn frowned at her friend's comments but once again chose to say nothing.

"Yeah but Jaden doesn't need to plan an elaborate strategy. He relies on his gut," Alexis said, seeing the confident grin on his face as he drew, "And I think that's what he wants to do here."

"It's my turn then and I play Polymerization! With it, I'll fuse the Burstinatrix on my field with the Avian in my hand to summon out the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman (ATK: 2100)!" Jaden announced as vortex consumed two of his monsters and released his ace.

 _It's here! Jaden's ace monster…_ Atsuko smiled inwardly.

"Now Flame Wingman, show Atsuko's samurai who's the strongest warrior! Attack with infernal rage!" Jaden ordered. His hero lifted its right arm and a stream of flame flew from it and consumed Atsuko's monster, forcing the girl to look away.

 **Atsuko's LP: 4000-3300**

"And now that I've destroyed your monster, I can use Flame Wingman's superpower. It causes you to take damage equal to the attack points of your destroyed monster!" Jaden explained. Atsuko looked up in time to see fire build up into Flame Wingman's arm before it bathed her in it.

 **Atsuko's LP: 3300-1900**

"Too hot..." Atsuko groaned.

"Don't worry! Ice Edge'll cool you right off. Attack with diamond dust barrage!" Jaden continued as his icy warrior leapt upwards. Atsuko looked up in time as it pointed at her and a barrage of snow and ice swept over her.

 **Atsuko's LP: 1900-1100**

"Heat one minute, cold the next... I should've dressed for the weather today," Atsuko winced as she shivered.

"Yeah you should have because Ice Edge isn't done yet. You see, when Ice Edge hits you with a direct attack, he destroys a spell or trap card on your field," Jaden added as Atsuko's trap briefly flipped up, showing it was Swiftstrike Armor, before self-destructing.

 _Alright, time for an Emmy winning act…_ Atsuko thought, "Oh come on! Not _again_! Why can't I ever use this trap card? My luck with this card is the worst. I don't know why I bother keeping that card in my deck." Up in stands, Lynn's friends were confused by Atsuko's comment.

"I see Atsuko's unlucky streak with that trap card is still going strong," Lynn frowned.

"Unlucky streak? What do you mean?" Alexis asked.

"Every time Atsuko throws out Swiftstrike Armor, it either gets destroyed before she uses it or she doesn't get a monster with it at all," Lynn explained sadly, _which is odd considering she normally doesn't put it in her deck. Did she decide to replace her best cards with that one?_

"That's a shame. If Atsuko had kept it and drawn a Six Samurai during her draw phase, she could've special summoned it right away," Zane recalled, "It might've helped her turn things around."

"Don't worry about that. Losing the armor is a pain but I wouldn't count Atsuko out yet," Lynn said as Jaden's turn ended, _could she be planning to throw the match?_

"Hey don't worry about the armor. You've still got lots of great cards to play," Jaden said encouragingly. Hearing her friend's kind words, Atsuko calmed down but under the surface, she was just fine.

"Arigato Jaden-kun. I need to not rely on that armor. I need to rely on this," Atsuko thanked as she drew a card, "I activate the spell card Reinforcement of the Army! This spell lets me add a warrior monster from my deck to my hand as long as its level is four or below. I'll choose the Legendary Six Samurai Mizuho and call him to the field." A new samurai appeared on her field, garbed in red armor, it carried two curved sickles (ATK: 1600).

"And since my samurai doesn't like to fight alone, I'll use Legendary Six Samurai Shinai's special ability from my hand and summon him as well," Atsuko continued as a black armored samurai appeared on her field. Wielding two metal clubs, its weapons and armor had golden studs decorating their surfaces (ATK: 1500).

"Whoa! Pause and rewind! How did you get both of them on the field at the same time?" Jaden asked.

"Some of my samurai work together in pairs. If I have both, I can summon them with their special ability. And speaking of abilities, I'll use Mizuho's next. When she's out on the field alongside another samurai, she can sacrifice one of them and destroy one monster on your field," Atsuko explained as Mizuho turned his sickle on Shinai. It struck Shinai and it turned into energy that made both weapons glow with crimson energy.

"With the sacrifice complete, I destroy your Flame Wingman!" Atsuko announced as her samurai swung its weapons. Two boomerangs of red energy launched towards Jaden's monster and cut it apart before it exploded.

"My Wingman!" Jaden cried out.

"Now that Flame Wingman and Shinai are gone, Shinai's other effect activates and I get to return Nisashi from my graveyard back to my hand," Atsuko explained as she recovered her first samurai card, "But he's not going to come out this turn. Instead, I'll have Mizuho attack your Ice Edge!" Atsuko ordered as her samurai ran forward, blades raised, "Attack with double edge dash!" The samurai took a big leap forward as did Jaden's hero monster. Mizuho raised one of his blades and Ice Edge raised its crystal fist. Their weapons collided but it was Mizuho who won the exchange as it cut down the elemental hero.

 **Jaden's LP: 4000-3200**

"With my battle phase completed, I end with a facedown," Atsuko concluded as a single card materialized on her field, _Yosh. Jaden-kun's ace is gone. Things'll be easier going forward now._ Atsuko's success didn't go unnoticed.

"Looks like you were right. Atsuko's move worked out. She got rid of both of Jaden's monsters," Mindy acknowledged.

"Told you so," Lynn said smugly, but inwardly she was worried, _OK, you destroyed his favorite monster but does that mean you're going to take this seriously? Or are you just putting on a show for everyone? After all, you don't usually flash your power until the time is right._

"Sweet moves Atsuko, but I'm just getting warmed up. I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in attack mode!" Jaden announced as his watery hero appeared on the field (ATK: 800), "And since he's out while I have no other cards in play, I can draw two cards from my deck. Now let's see how _my_ luck goes..." Jaden drew his cards and immediately grinned.

"And my luck couldn't be better! I play the equip spell Bubble Blaster on Bubbleman!" Jaden continued as a blue water cannon appeared in his monster's hands, complete with blast shield, "This handy little card gives my hero 800 more attack points."

Elemental Hero Bubbleman (ATK: 800-1600)

"I fail to see how that helps you. Mizuho is just as powerful as your Bubbleman," Atsuko admitted.

"Oh really? I don't think so," Jaden disagreed as turbines in the cannon powered up, "You see Atsuko, while Bubble Blaster does raise Bubbleman's attack power, it has another effect. If Bubbleman is going to get taken out, I can sacrifice the blaster and spare him from damage." Atsuko winced, now realizing her opponent's plan.

"Clever move. Jaden's aiming to take out her samurai," Chumley realized.

"Yeah and with Bubble Blaster taking the hit, only Atsuko's samurai will be destroyed," Syrus agreed. With that, Bubbleman fired off a stream of water straight at Atsuko's monster.

 _No! It's too soon. I have to draw this out to make it convincing._ Atsuko thought urgently. Her monster looked ready to counter when her trap flipped up.

"Clever move but it's a futile one. Mizuho, Fall Back now!" Atsuko ordered. Her samurai turned and nodded before vanishing from the field. With no target, the water flew straight at Atsuko but a barrier of light protected her from harm.

"Gomenasai Jaden-kun, but I'm playing the Fall Back trap card to negate your attack and return my samurai to my hand," Atsuko explained as her monster card materialized in her hand.

"You got me on that one Atsuko. I'll throw down two facedowns and call it a turn," Jaden concluded as two more cards appeared on the field. As she looked upon his field, Atsuko grew concerned.

 _Jaden-kun's got two facedown cards and Bubbleman with Bubble Blaster protecting his life points. He should know that Mizuho could destroy Bubbleman next turn with his special ability and bypass Bubble Blaster's effect. Those two facedown cards must be gamechangers. Something he can take advantage of once Bubbleman is gone… And I plan to make you use them._ Atsuko analyzed, before announcing, "With your end phase having arrived, I can resummon Mizuho back to the field again thanks to my trap card." Atsuko grinned as her samurai returned to the field (ATK: 1600).

"And with Mizuho returned and my turn beginning, I can special summon forth the great elder of the samurai, my Grandmaster of the Six Samurai," Atsuko declared as her elder samurai appeared on the field (ATK: 2100), "Next, I'll normal summon back Six Samurai Nisashi and tribute him to activate Mizuho's special ability. By doing so, I destroy your Bubbleman _and_ your blaster!"

"Well done! If this move works, Jaden will be completely defenseless!" Bastion declared as Mizuho sacrificed its ally once more. It roared out in rage as it fired a crescent-shaped blast that cut through Jaden's hero, destroying it.

"No Bubbleman!" Jaden winced but so did Atsuko.

 _Shimatta! He was supposed to counter that. Looks like I have no choice._ Atsuko winced, before giving out her next order, "Game over! Grandmaster of the Six Samurai attacks you directly!" Her aged samurai stood up and drew his sword. With speed belying his age, the samurai lunged forward and struck Jaden with a decisive cut. The blow was powerful as Jaden fell to one knee, quivering from the damage he took.

 **Jaden's LP: 3200-1100**

"Jaden!" Alexis cried fearfully.

"I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?" Atsuko asked as Jaden climbed to his feet.

"Actually… I need to thank you for that," Jaden grinned as one of his facedown card flipped open.

"Huh? What do you mean? I nearly wiped out your life points with that move!" Atsuko protested.

"Yeah but you didn't and that allows me to play my trap card Shock Draw! When I take 1000 or more points of damage in a battle, I can draw one card from my deck for every 1000 points of damage I took," Jaden explained as he reinforced his hand, "I know math's not my strong suit but I just took 2100 points of damage. That means two cards for me."

"I fail to see the value of this move," Bastion remarked as Jaden drew his cards, "He may get more cards but he still has no defense."

"Yeah and Atsuko still has Mizuho poised to attack," Lucia added, "If she lands a hit on him, it's game over."

 _Come on Jaden-kun. Counter my attack or I have no choice..._ Atsuko silently pleaded, "I will permit your draw because you have no other options for victory with Mizuho ready to strike. Mizuho, attack Jaden directly! Double edge dash!"

"Hold it right there Atsuko! I have another trap for you!" Jaden announced as his second facedown flipped open, "I activate A Hero Emerges!"

"A Hero what?" Atsuko gasped.

"Emerged as in you know, emerges, pops up, appears," Jaden replied.

 _Saved by the trap card… I think._ Atsuko sighed, "I know my English isn't the best Jaden-kun, but I know what the words emerges means. I said what I said because I don't know what your card does."

"Oh, it's a pretty useful trap. You pick a card in my hand at random and if that card is a monster, I can summon it right away," Jaden explained as held up his hand, "So what card will it be?" Atsuko looked nervous, chewing on her lip in fear.

"Uh oh. Let's hope the Swiftstrike curse doesn't continue," Lynn mumbled, _I hope it doesn't. You deserve to win Atsuko._

"Swiftstrike curse? Don't tell me. Atsuko is bad at luck-based cards too?" Alexis asked. Lynn nodded sadly.

"The worst," Lynn sighed.

"C'mon, what's the hold up? You need to pick a card," Jaden urged, fanning them out.

 _I know. I need a monster that can defeat me._ Atsuko frowned, "I choose the far right!" Jaden picked it up out of his hand and grinned.

"Thanks. You helped me summon one of my favorite monsters – Elemental Hero Bladedge!" Jaden announced eagerly as another hero appeared. Garbed in a suit of golden armor, it had jet thrusters on its back and wing-like blades on its arms (ATK: 2600). Atsuko sighed with relief and glanced up at where Lynn was sitting. The blond was frowning deeply, knowing that her friend was playing terribly.

 _Maybe throwing the match was a mistake. Exposing Lynn-hime would be bad but so would throwing this duel. Hime, you were right. I can't throw the match but I can't win either. Not unless Jaden-kun acts recklessly... So I shall give him the chance to prove his skill here._ Atsuko realized as she reached into her hand.

"With your new monster in play, I act on my right to call off my attack. Then I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn," Atsuko announced as two cards materialized on her field, _Alright Jaden-kun. I will test your ability here. The first facedown card is Sakuretsu Armor. This card destroys any attacking monster, and if you should somehow get past it, I have Backs to the Wall ready. It'll cost me nearly all of my life points to use but I can resummon my entire samurai arsenal from the graveyard to strike you down next turn. My two facedown cards will either ensure my victory or end you here._

"They're matching each other's moves pretty well," Bastion noticed.

"Yeah now that Atsuko seems to be taking this seriously. This duel could go either way," Lucia agreed.

"Yeah with both of them having the same life points and fortified fields… It's like watching two swordsmen battling each other. When one attacks, the other counters. No move or card is wasted," Bastion remarked, "A duel of this caliber can only be fought by two highly skilled duelists."

"Yeah but that begs the question: Whose move will end the duel? Atsuko's traps or the cards Jaden drew with his Shock Draw?" Lucia wondered ominously. Lynn however was having conflicting thoughts about her friend's actions.

 _Atsuko threw out two facedown cards when she has a clear disadvantage. If she was planning to throw the duel, why do that? She could easily pretend they're useless... Unless she intends to fight back after all!_ Lynn realized hopefully.

"Alright! It's my turn and I activate the spell card The Warrior Returning Alive. This lets me bring Bubbleman back from the graveyard," Jaden explained as his card returned to his hand.

"A decent move but I fail to see how that helps you," Atsuko frowned.

"Oh you will in a minute. Come on back Bubbleman," Jaden grinned as his watery hero returned to the field (ATK: 800), "And with a duel this exciting, I think he needs to dress for the occasion! I activate the spell card Mask Change!" Jaden continued as a glowing mask appeared in Bubbleman's hands.

"Mask Change?" Atsuko wondered, but what she was going to say was lost as Bubbleman placed it to his face.

"This spell card transforms Bubbleman into a new hero that I can summon from my extra deck just as long as it's the same attribute. So I'll say goodbye to Bubbleman and say hello to Masked Hero Acid!" As the mask took hold, blue light filled the arena. Everyone looked away as Bubbleman changed into a completely new monster. When the light faded, everyone gasped at the sight of Jaden's new monster. Standing as tall as Sparkman, he wore a blue suit with red armor and gold accenting. His entire face was concealed by a blue helmet with silver accenting on the faceplate. A belt wrapped firmly around his waist with a holster carrying a purple blaster (ATK: 2600).

"Aw man! That's totally awesome!" Syrus grinned.

"Yeah but I don't think Atsuko would agree with you," Chumley frowned, seeing his friend unhappy.

"An impressive monster Jaden-kun but I haven't lost yet," Atsuko cautioned.

"That's about to change. I activate Acid's superpower! When he's summoned to the field, all your spells and traps are destroyed!" Jaden announced.

"Nani?!" Atsuko cried out as Jaden's hero drew its blaster out of its holster.

"Oh yeah! Sweet effect huh? Go Acid! Take out both of her trap cards!" Jaden urged, "Go acidic dispersal!" With the precision of a sharpshooter, Acid fired two quick bursts that destroyed his enemy's trap cards.

"Shimata! They were my last hope!" Atsuko groaned, before sighing with resignation, "You've been an honorable opponent Jaden."

"So have you Atsuko, but I'm afraid my move isn't over yet. Acid comes with another ability. When he destroys a card with his effect, all your monsters lose 300 attack points," Jaden added as his monster launched two more blasts, "I know I don't _need_ to do it, but I don't want my hero's power going to waste." Atsuko's monsters raised their weapons in defense but Acid's acid began to corrode the metal and their power suffered as a result.

Grandmaster of the Six Samurai (ATK: 2100-1800)

Legendary Six Samurai - Mizuho (ATK: 1600-1300)

"It's over Atsuko but don't worry. I'm going to give both of your samurai an honorable defeat," Jaden promised as Bladedge's thrusters revved up, "Bladedge, take out her Grandmaster of the Six Samurai! Slice and dice attack!" Fully powered, Bladedge flew forward, its arm blades extended. Atsuko's older samurai stood up once more to do battle, its katana drawn. It swung its blade but Bladedge was too fast as it sliced the weapon apart before cutting down its holder.

 **Atsuko's LP: 1100-300**

"Now Acid finish this duel. Attack Mizuho with acid shot barrage!" Jaden ordered. With weapons in hand, Mizuho ran forward aiming to take out Jaden's monster. Acid was quicker on the draw however as it fired too quick bursts and disarmed Mizuho. With no weapons, it was quickly defeated by a third shot that consumed the rest of Atsuko's life points.

 **Atsuko's LP: 300-0**

"Well played Jaden-kun. Victory is yours," Atsuko conceded as the holograms faded. She glanced up at Lynn and briefly locked eyes. Lynn's eyes were filled with disappointment and shock. Atsuko closed her eyes, disappointed in her shameful defeat.

 _Forgive me Lynn-hime. My victory just wasn't meant to be. Jaden-kun must have this victory. Someday, I will battle him for real. I only pray you forgive me._ Atsuko prayed as Jaden walked up to her.

"That's game. You had some pretty sweet moves out there," Jaden praised, holding out his hand. Atsuko took it and shook as the audience broke out into a round of applause.

"Arigato Jaden-kun. Thank you for the duel," Atsuko said quietly before walking off the floor. Instead of heading for a seat, she left the arena. Seeing that, Lynn got up from her chair.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back," Lynn excused herself. Leaving the arena, she quickly found Atsuko sitting on a bench outside the arena. The Japanese girl had tears in her eyes but her face was stoic.

"You OK?" Lynn asked quietly.

"I'm fine," Atsuko replied, wiping her eyes.

"You threw the duel," Lynn accused quietly.

"Yes, I know. I had to follow through on my orders. By the time I realized I wanted to fight after all, it was too late," Atsuko admitted forlornly. Sighing, she pulled out several cards from her holster and several from an inside pocket of her blazer. From her position, Lynn could make out flashes of black and white before the cards were shuffled into the deck.

"You took out your extra deck cards," Lynn noticed.

"I did. They are one of a kind and had I used them, it wouldn't take much to figure out who I am and by extension, who _you_ are. I could not risk using them here," Atsuko reminded her as she put her reformed deck away, "but someday I will. I will give Jaden-kun the duel he deserved."

"That you will," Lynn promised for her, still upset over her friend throwing the match. However, Lynn was not the only person who was unhappy with the results of the duel. Inside the arena, Dr. Crowler was red with anger at the victor of the match. His gaze went to Jaden as he took a seat with Syrus and Chumley.

 _Unbelievable! Unacceptable! I can't believe that slacker beat that samurai duelist!_ Dr. Crowler fumed, standing up from his chair, _Time for plan C._ The other teachers noticed their colleague as he stepped out of the box.

"Something wrong Dr. Crowler?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"Uh no. I'm… Just going to use the restroom," Dr. Crowler pouted before leaving.

"Well don't take too long," Dr. Stratton insisted before bringing the mic to his hand, "Alright. With Jaden Yuki being the victor, we will now commence with the second round. Bastion Misawa and Lucia Stratton of Ra Yellow, please join me on the floor." Realizing they were on next, Bastion and Lucia looked to one another and got up from their chairs and proceeded to the duel floor.

"It seems our time has arrived," Bastion remarked.

"Yeah but I'm all for it. You ready?" Lucia asked, adjusting her spectacles.

"Indeed. May the best duelist win," Bastion acknowledged. In moments, they were on the arena floor, decks prepped and ready.

"Then prepare yourselves! The second round of this duel off will now begin. Bastion Misawa VS Lucia Stratton! It will be a speed duel with 4000 life points. Skills have been set as active and Bastion has been chosen to go first," Dr. Stratton explained, "Now begin!"

"Speed duel!"

 **Bastion's LP: 4000**

 **Lucia's LP: 4000**

Both players immediately drew their opening hands but instead of five cards, each drew four instead. This didn't go amiss by many of the students.

"Hey, why'd they draw only four cards? A duelist's opening hand should be five cards," One of the Slifers noticed.

"Idiot. Speed duels are fought with only twenty cards in your deck and you always start with four cards instead of five," Another student explained.

"The first move is mine. I summon Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus in attack mode," Bastion declared as an orange-armored warrior monster appeared on his field. Carrying a shield with a plus symbol and a spiked lance, it raised its shield in a defensive stance (ATK: 1800).

"Next, I'll set one card facedown and end my turn by activating my skill," Bastion concluded as his monster glowed, "It's called Mass Driver and with it, I can inflict 200 points of damage to your life points for each rock type monster I have face up on the field during each of my end phases." His warrior fired a burst of orange energy struck Lucia and the girl cringed as her life points decreased.

 **Lucia's LP: 4000-3800**

"Hmm… Interesting choice of skill," Dr. Crowler remarked.

"Yes. With that skill, Bastion can inflict damage to Lucia each turn without attacking at all," Professor Banner agreed.

"Now the question becomes how will Lucia counter?" Dr. Stratton wondered as Lucia drew a card.

"It's my move and I'll start by setting one card facedown too. Then I'll summon Nohrian Dark Mage Odin in attack mode," Lucia declared as a yellow-robed male human appeared on her field. His short blond hair was tied back by a headband as sparks of lightning crackled around his hands (ATK: 1000).

"Next, I'll equip him with the equip spell Ancient Arcana Arcfire," Lucia continued as a red tome appeared in his hands. The lightning around his hands turned into flames as he raised one hand threateningly towards Bastion's monster.

"Now I'll have Odin attack your magnet warrior," Lucia ordered as her mage's flames intensified.

"Wait hold on! Lucia's Odin is no match for Bastion's monster. It'll lose the battle for sure," Syrus pointed out.

"Now for Arcfire's effect! When the equipped monster attacks, that monster gains 1000 attack points in battle," Lucia explained as the red flames turned blue as the monster powered up.

Nohrian Dark Mage Odin (ATK: 1000-2000)

"And the fun doesn't there. When Odin is equipped with a spell card whose letter count is twenty letters or greater, the power up effect is doubled," Lucia continued as the blue flames turned white.

Nohrian Dark Mage Odin (ATK: 2000-3000)

"Good show Lucia but I'm well prepared. I activate my facedown card," Bastion counters as it flips open. Green energy flew out of it and enveloped Lucia's monster. The same energy then exuded from Bastion's monster as Lucia's mage fired a blast of white flame only to have it fizzle out halfway across the floor.

"My trap card is called Magnet Force Plus. When activated, it equips to your monster and becomes electrically charged with a positive magnetic field. My magnet warrior is also positively charged," Bastion explained.

"I don't need a physics lesson Bastion. I know how magnets work," Lucia frowned.

"Then you should know that two positively charged fields repel each other, and therefore two positively charged monsters cannot attack each other," Bastion replied.

"I know that too. I also know that with my attack having failed, you've triggered my real attack," Lucia grinned, "Odin's second effect activates. When the turn's end phase arrives, he destroys all equip spells he has equipped." The tome promptly disappeared as did Bastion's trap card.

"Then for each one destroyed, you lose one card off the top of your deck," Lucia concluded. Bastion looked down in worry as two of his cards, Beta the Magnet Warrior and Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum, vanished from his deck and into his graveyard.

"Another solid move. You've destroyed one of my best monsters with that move," Bastion praised as he drew a card.

"That was kind of the idea. What else you got?" Lucia teased as a blue magnet monster appeared on the field, a sword in its hand.

"I have Alpha the Electromagnet Warrior in attack mode (ATK: 1700). I use his special ability to add Berserkion the Magna Warrior from my deck to my hand," Bastion said, adding a monster from his deck to his hand, "And now that I have a new powerhouse in hand, I send my Alpha to destroy your Odin. Magnet saber attack!" Sword in hand, the magnet monster leapt in and struck down Lucia. The girl genius winced as the shockwave from the battle depleted some of her points.

 **Lucia's LP: 3800-3100**

"Nice moves but I've got one of my own. I activate my trap card Darkfire Flare. This card summons one Nohrian monster from my deck whose level is four or below when one of my monsters is defeated in battle. I choose my Nohrian Wyvern Knight Beruka," Lucia countered as a dragon-riding knight appeared on her field. Wearing ebon armor and carrying a battle axe in one hand, she glared fiercely at Bastion (ATK: 1800).

"Well don't get attached to her because Sigma Plus is attacking Beruka," Bastion cautioned as his lance-wielding monster leapt into battle. The wyvern-riding knight winced as she raised her axe. Both monsters leapt at one another and their weapons clashed briefly before both monsters struck fatal blows against one another.

"Aw come on. You couldn't spare a girl her monster?" Lucia asked sarcastically, putting her hands on her hips.

"So sorry but I couldn't well let you keep it. It's part of my strategy," Bastion replied modestly, "And speaking of my strategy, now that my battle phase has concluded, I will use my Skill Mass Driver. For every rock monster I have on the field, you take 200 points of damage." His magnet monster fired another blast at Lucia, angering the female genius further.

 **Lucia's LP: 3100-2900**

"Aw gee, you're such a gentleman Bastion," Lucia sighed, drawing a card and quickly setting it facedown in her spell and trap card zone.

"Now let's not be a sore loser Lucia," Bastion teased. Lucia smiled gently, showing that she was just playing.

"Who me? Never. I won't be because I'm not losing. I summon Nohrian Mercenary Selena in attack mode," Lucia announced as another female warrior with red hair tied in ponytails appeared on her field. Garbed in similar blue armor as Beruka, she carried a steel sword and had dour look on her face (ATK: 1800).

"Now I use her special ability. When she's summoned, I can draw one card from my deck and add it to my hand if it's a Nohrian monster," Lucia explained as her warrior raised her sword. It briefly glowed with light and Lucia's deck quickly followed. Drawing the top card, she held it up and grinned. It was a level eight monster card, depicting a blond-haired man riding an ebon steed and carrying a violet longsword.

"I've drawn the monster card Nohrian Prince Xander so I get to keep it," Lucia cheered placing the card with the rest of her hand, "And now Selena destroys Alpha the Electromagnet Warrior. Savage slash attack!" Sword still aglow, Selena rushed forward and traded sword blows with Bastion's monster. Selena however was the stronger swordsman as it slipped past the monster's guard and slayed it.

 **Bastion's LP: 4000-3900**

"That ends my turn," Lucia concluded, "What next handsome?" Bastion smiled slyly as he drew a card and compared it to the remaining cards he held. Her choice of words did not go amiss, particularly among her parents in the teachers' booth.

"Handsome? What is that daughter of ours doing? Dueling or flirting?" Dr. Stratton wondered.

"Aw I think it's cute," Miss Stratton giggled, "I think she and Bastion would make a cute couple." The other teachers turned and looked at her.

"What? Is it strange that I want our little girl to get out and meet people?" Miss Stratton protested. Dr. Stratton laughed softly as he turned his attention back to the duel.

"Patience Lucia. You know I like to play this game like chess," Bastion said.

"I know but you're already missing half your pieces," Lucia teased playfully. Bastion's eyes drifted down to his deck and saw that he was missing half his deck now.

"Which is why I better make this next move count," Bastion agreed as another blue magnet warrior appeared, its body triangular, "I summon Delta the Magnet Warrior (ATK: 1600) and activate its special ability. I send Gamma the Electromagnet Warrior from my deck to the graveyard." Bastion pulled out the card he wanted and promptly discarded it.

"Heh. You know my cards are intended to make you deck out. Why on earth would you help me do that?" Lucia wondered playfully.

"You'll see in a moment," Bastion replied back as his field spell slot on his duel disk opened slid open, "I cast the field spell Magnetic Field." Sliding the card in, four pylons of coiled metal materialized around the two duelists. Sparks flew from them, forming a cage of lightning around them.

"What's the play Bastion? Gonna turn this into a cage match?" Lucia asked.

"Something like that. I activate Magnetic Field's effect. If I control a level four or below rock monster, I can summon one from my graveyard once per turn. Since Delta is firmly on my field, I can draw out Alpha the Electromagnet Warrior," Bastion explained as his other magnet warrior revived itself (ATK: 1700), "Additionally, Alpha's effect is activated upon being summoned. I will use it to add another Berserkion to my hand from my deck."

"For what good it does you. You're still wearing yourself thin," Lucia cautioned as the card materialized in Bastion's hand.

"Perhaps but now that my turn is over, my Skill activates once again and you take 200 points of damage for each rock monster I control," Bastion agreed as his two monsters fired two more shots of energy at his opponent.

 **Lucia's LP: 2900-2500**

"All that work and all you can do is 400 points of damage? If your plan is to whittle down my life points with your Skill, then you've made a grave miscalculation," Lucia cautioned.

"Not necessarily. My formula is just not properly balanced yet," Bastion assured her as his opponent drew a card.

"Then allow me to help you with your subtraction then. I activate my Skill, Nohrian Rage!" Lucia said as her duel disk flashed, "Since I've lost 1500 or more life points, I can advance summon a Nohrian monster with one less monster. I'll use that Skill to release Selena and advance summon Nohrian Prince Xander." Selena promptly vanished in its place was the black horse-riding knight (ATK: 3000).

"Ah, so you've called upon your ace monster," Bastion analyzed, "But mighty as he is, he won't win the match for you."

"You're right but his strength is something I don't need just yet. I need to play this first," Lucia declared as her facedown card flipped open, "I activate Lightning Dragon Vein! With the strength of a Nohrian royal on my field, this trap card sends four cards from your deck to the graveyard." Bastion winced as the horseman reared back on his horse and slammed its hooves into the ground. This kicked up a blast of lightning that struck Bastion's duel disk. Images of the spell card Fairy Meteor Crush, Alpha the Electromagnet Warrior, Magnet Warrior Omega Minus, and the spell card Enemy Controller briefly appeared in front of Bastion before the cards themselves went to his graveyard.

"Enemy Controller and Fairy Meteor Crush… With those cards, you could render my defenses useless," Lucia noticed, "Tough luck."

"You may have removed two factors from equation but I'm not beaten yet," Bastion assured her.

"Well let's see if I can make it three then. Xander, attack Delta the Electromagnet Warrior!" Lucia commanded. The horseman urged his mount into a charge. Bastion's magnet monster bravely lunged at Lucia's prince, but the prince's reach was longer as his black sword struck a deadly blow and destroyed the monster.

 **Bastion's LP: 3900-2600**

"And your monster isn't the only casualty here. When Xander destroys a monster in battle, you have to send one card from your deck to the graveyard," Lucia added as her monster raised his sword. It briefly flashed with dark magic before it fired a stream of lightning that struck Bastion's duel disk and removed the Meteorain trap card from it.

"Yet another defense piercing card down the graveyard," Lucia taunted, "I think you're about to lose this. With just four cards left in your deck and all the cards I've seen in your graveyard, I'm not really seeing a way you can win this duel." Bastion drew a card and grinned.

"Then it's a shame because thanks to you, I have everything I need to win," Bastion assured her.

"Oh really? With three defense position penetrating cards gone from your deck? Seven of your best monster cards in your graveyard? I'm not exactly holding my breath here," Lucia rattled off.

"Therein lies your problem. You've been focused on my deck and my graveyard. You haven't been paying attention to what was in my hand," Bastion pointed out, holding up his hand. Behind her glasses, Lucia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Now allow me to show you the true extent of my strategy," Bastion announced, "From my graveyard, I banish Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Electromagnet Warrior and special summon Berserkion the Electromagna Warrior." The three magnet warriors appeared on Bastion's field briefly and quickly broke apart into dozens of pieces. They merged together into one giant warrior whose boots were purple, its armor blue and violet. The remaining parts merged into a powerful naginata (ATK: 3000).

"Berserkion may have the same attack points as Xander, but he isn't strong enough to defeat me alone," Lucia cautioned.

"Who says I was finished? I banish all the remaining rock monsters in my graveyard from play and special summon Megarock Dragon in attack mode!" Bastion announced, slapping a card down on his duel disk. All of his monsters that had been lost in the duel briefly appeared a spiked boulder appeared over Bastion's field. All of the monsters turned into beams of energy that flew into the boulder and filled it with power. The boulder then crashed to the floor and a low growl emerged from it. The rock shattered, revealing a brown four-legged dragon. Covered in layers of spiked scales, it roared fiercely (ATK: ?).

"Uh oh," Lucia gasped nervously.

"Fearsome huh? Well it gets worse from here. Megarock Dragon's effect gives him 700 attack and defense points for each banished rock monster I used to summon it. I used four monsters just now so my dragon gains 2800 attack points," Bastion explained as his monster powered up.

Megarock Dragon (ATK: 0-2800)

"Berserkion, attack Xander! Super magnetic strike!" Bastion ordered, his warrior leaping in.

"Fine! If we're going to lose, we'll go down fighting. Xander, show no mercy!" Lucia ordered back, her warrior riding in. Sparks flew as the two monsters' weapons clashed repeatedly until finally they struck fatal blows against each other.

"Now to finish the game! Megarock Dragon attacks you directly! Go, stone shard storm!" Bastion commanded with finality. The female genius cried out in fear as she was bombarded with dozens of stones from Bastion's monster. She slumped over in defeat, falling to her knees.

 **Lucia's LP: 2500-0**

"That's checkmate Lucia. I win," Bastion grinned victoriously as the holograms faded.

"I guess when it came to you, I miscalculated," Lucia sighed.

"You dueled admirably but you came up a few cards short," Bastion praised as he walked up to her and held out his hand. Lucia blushed shyly as she let him help her up. Polite applause filled the air as the two Ra students bowed to the crowd.

"Poor Lucia. She lost," Miss Stratton sighed sadly, wiping a tear from her eyes.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Professor Banner corrected, pointing at the two duelists, "From here, it's kind of hard to tell who won." Curious, Miss Stratton saw them walk off the floor. They were talking softly but what drew their attention was that they were holding hands.

"How adorable. Lucia's got a crush now," Miss Stratton cooed. Dr. Stratton nodded in agreement as he picked up the abandoned microphone.

"Indeed, but we still have work to do," Dr. Stratton agreed, before turning it on, "Alright, with Bastion as our winner, we'll take a short intermission. When we come back, we'll have the final duel off of the day between Alexis Rhodes and Lynn Hero of Obelisk Blue." With the invitation made, students got up and began to mill around. Some stretched and others left the arena for restrooms or snacks. The two challengers in blue looked one another promptly got up, duel disks in hand.

"Well Lex, guess we can't put this off any longer," Lynn said nervously. Alexis nodded in agreement.

"I know," Alexis replied sadly, turning away from her with a smirk on her face, "I'll see you on the arena floor shortly. Just make sure you bring your A game."

"I intend to," Lynn promised, heading in the opposite direction, "See you after intermission." Alexis promptly walked off to prepare, Mindy and Jasmine at her heels. Sensing his friend's tension, Zane put a comforting hand on Lynn's shoulder.

"You getting nervous?" Zane asked.

"I guess… I mean I'm dueling for the right to compete in the biggest competition of the year. I should be excited but I'm really scared," Lynn admitted, her right hand subconsciously fingering the opening of her deck case.

"That's to be expected, especially when the stakes are high. Just give it your best shot. That's all anyone can ask of you," Zane replied. Lynn didn't reply. She just let her gaze go to the duel floor.

 _Yeah but what you don't known Zane is that I'm risking everything here. My pride… My secrets… My identity… But I refuse to be deterred from this challenge or any other. For Kai's sake and my own, I'm going to duel my best friend and win._ Lynn vowed.


	16. School Duel Dilemma Part Three

With two of the duel offs completed, the cafeteria was abuzz with excitement as the students gathered refreshments for the upcoming duel. Sitting in their usual booth, Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine were having a quick snack break.

"So Lex. You all set for your match?" Jasmine asked.

"I should be. I spent all last night fine tuning my deck. I wasn't sure which strategy to go with," Alexis admitted, "With master rules to work with, I had to make more changes than I liked."

"Really? What kind of changes?" Jasmine pressed.

"I'm not telling," Alexis smirked.

"Oh come on. You can tell us," Mindy teased.

"As much as I like you two, I'm not risking you tipping off Lynn," Alexis smiled. Mindy snapped her fingers in disgust.

"Sorry Mindy. Guess you're not getting a leg up on our bet," Jasmine grinned.

"Bet? What bet?" Alexis asked suspiciously.

"Oh nothing fancy. Jasmine and I are betting on which of you two will win the duel today," Mindy explained, "And the loser has to pay for a spa treatment in the rec room for two."

"Yeah and Mindy here has made a grave mistake because I think you're going to beat Lynn easy," Jasmine taunted.

"As if! Lynn's learned lots since she arrived. My money's on her," Mindy countered.

"Nice to know you two are rooting for us," Alexis replied sarcastically.

"Oh don't be like that. I said the spa treatment was for _two_ ," Mindy pointed out, "I plan on sharing my victory with Lynn…"

"And when you win Lex, I'm taking you with me," Jasmine promised, "So don't you lose, go it?"

"Oh don't worry. With the strategy I've got planned, Lynn doesn't stand a chance," Alexis declared confidently.

 **Chapter Sixteen: School Duel Dilemma Part Four**

Outside the arena and away from everyone, Atsuko was on her cell phone.

"...I've done as you've asked. I threw the duel with Jaden-kun," Atsuko reported.

"Well done. What of Lady Lyndis?" The voice asked.

"She plans to go through with her duel with Lexi-chan," Atsuko replied, "And I'm not going to stop her. This is a test she needs."

"A test she needs?! Need I remind you that the princess cannot risk…" The voice chastised.

"You talk about not taking risks but as long as Lynn-hime has that card in her deck, we're _all_ at risk," Atsuko interrupted angrily, "She must grow stronger to tame it but how will she do that if we constantly hold her back?"

"..."

"That's what I thought. Now no more of this nonsense. Lynn-hime is going to compete and nothing is going to stop her," Atsuko said with determination before hanging up the call, "And I will not allow anyone else to stop her…" Pocketing the cell, she turned around and saw Lynn standing behind her.

"That phone call looked serious. Is everything OK?" Lynn asked.

"It was just my superiors again, urging me to get you to back out of the duel. I told them you're going to be fine but are you sure you've prepared? There's no telling what will happen when you step into the ring with Lexi-chan," Atsuko cautioned, "especially with _it_ running loose in your deck."

"...I can't keep running. I'm prepared come what may," Lynn nodded solemnly.

"And if _it_ interferes again like it did in your duel with Dimitri?" Atsuko pressed.

"I'll cross that bridge if I get to it," Lynn assured her, looking at the clock, "It's time. I have to go."

"Very well. Best of luck milady," Atsuko said and the two girls split up to go back to the arena. Lynn headed for the field as Atsuko headed back into the stands where Jaden, Syrus and Chumley were. To her delight, Bastion and Lucia had changed seats to join them.

"Hey. There you are. We saved you a seat Atsuko," Syrus called as the girl climbed the steps.

"Arigato Syrus-kun," Atsuko thanked as she took a seat, "Is everyone is as excited as I am for this duel?"

"A duel between two of the best girls in school? Oh yeah, this is going to be sweet," Jaden grinned, "Guess the only question remains is who should we root for?"

"The one who will best represent the academy of course and that's Alexis," Lucia insisted, looking down at her tablet, "As far as I can tell, she has far more experience as a duelist."

"Yes but you can't argue the fact that Lynn has shown significant improvement since her arrival at Duel Academy," Bastion argued, referencing his PDA.

"If you're talking about since her arrival, yes I'd agree but I prefer to expand my data parameters beyond school," Lucia sniffed as she continued typing into her tablet, "Alexis has a far reaching career in dueling since elementary school. She's dueled in multiple amateur tournaments with high-ranking results. Lynn, on the other hand, is a complete ghost on the web. In fact, I can't find any reference to her outside of school at all." Atsuko swallowed nervously at that information.

"Say what?" Syrus asked.

"I didn't stutter. Lynn Hero doesn't exist online at all. No online profile, no pictures, nothing," Lucia simplified, "Not even a Topic account."

"Seriously? She's not online or anything? What rock has she been living under?" Chumley wondered, "I mean even somebody lazy has me has an online profile." The others turned to look at Chumley strangely.

"What? I do. I just don't update it often," Chumley mumbled.

"Still, it is weird don't you think? Why can't we find anything about Lynn online?" Lucia wondered.

"Now that you say it, yes it is weird especially when we've all befriended her," Bastion agreed, "Still, I'm not prepared to write off this duel to Alexis right away."

"Yes, let's give Lynn-chan a chance to show what she is made of," Atsuko agreed as she spotted the two girls on the arena floor, "There they are now." Dr. Stratton joined them as the two girls exchanged cards and shuffled them.

"Well Lex. I guess this is it," Lynn said.

"Yup. Time to see who the better of the two of us is," Alexis agreed as she and Lynn traded their decks back. With cards in hand, they retreated to their respective sides of the field.

"The final duel of the duel off will now commence. It will be Alexis Rhodes versus Lynn Hero. The duel will be a master duel with 8000 life points. Are you both ready?" Dr. Stratton asked.

"Yeah, let's do this," Alexis replied.

"...I'm ready. Let's begin," Lynn consented as the duel disks flared to life and both players drew their opening hands.

"Game on!"

 **Alexis's LP: 8000**

 **Lynn's LP: 8000**

"If you don't mind, I'll kick things off. I summon Tour Guide from the Underworld in attack mode," Alexis began as a lady in a tour guide's uniform appeared on her field. Wearing a badge that resembled skull and crossbones, it shouldered a black purse to match (ATK: 1000).

"Tour Guide from the Underworld? That's a new monster," Mindy remarked.

"Yeah, what's Alexis doing putting that card in her deck?" Jasmine wondered.

"Next I'll use her effect. She can special summon a level three or below fiend type monster from my deck directly to the field. I'll summon out Djinn Releaser of Rituals in defense mode," Alexis explained as a second monster appeared on her field. The new monster was a fat purple man carrying a skull-marked staff and wearing a green loincloth and hat. It puckered its red lips as it struck a pose (DEF: 2000).

"With my two monsters out, I'll end my turn with the continuous spell card Shard of Greed!" Alexis concluded as a glowing green shard appeared on her field.

"Huh? What's a piece of pottery supposed to do for you?" Lynn asked.

"I know this broken porcelain doesn't look very special, but this shard gains a greed counter during each of my standby phases. Once it has two, I can release this card and draw two extra cards from my deck," Alexis explained. Valkyria appeared at Lynn's side, intrigued by the unique cards that had been chosen.

"Clearly Alexis is aiming for a long duel," Valkyria remarked.

"Yeah I know. Why else would she play a card like Shard of Greed? What I'm more worried about is the sudden change in monster cards. She's never used these against me before in our practice duels. What is she aiming for?" Lynn wondered quietly.

"The best way to find out it is to face her head on," Valkyria urged. Lynn nodded quietly as her duel spirit vanished.

"What's the hold up? Can't decide how to duel me?" Alexis asked as she signaled the end of her turn.

"No, I just couldn't decide which monster I should use to demolish your tour guide," Lynn said, "Especially since you left it on the field with absolutely no protection." With that, Lynn drew a card and upon seeing it, grinned.

 _Perfect! My own strategy for defeating Alexis is now in motion._ Lynn thought eagerly, "Your monsters are new but so are mine. I summon Lost Legend Farore in attack mode!" A flash of green light erupted on the field as a young elfish girl materialized on Lynn's field. Wearing an emerald dress, her green hair was done up in two buns. Her green eyes glowed with happiness as she clung tightly to a brown book in her possession (ATK: 1200).

"Next I'll use two spells to power her up. The first is the equip spell Amulet of Protection. It'll raise her attack points by 500. The second spell I play will be Spell Power Grasp. This will give her a spell counter and give me another copy of that card to use next turn," Lynn continued as a purple jewel necklace in the shape of a diamond wrapped around her monster's throat, "And with each spell played, she gains a spell counter."

"I see but what good are spell counters to her?" Alexis wondered.

"Glad you asked. For each spell counter in her possession, all Lost Legends and Champions on my field gain 100 attack and defense points. She now has three, so her attack points become 2000," Lynn explained as a vibrant green aura filled her monster.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 1200-2000 / Counters: 0-3)

"Now Farore, send her tour guide on a one trip to the graveyard! Attack with secret lightning!" Lynn ordered. Her mage opened her book to a predetermined page. Cradling it in one hand, she pointed her free hand towards Alexis's tour guide. Green lightning gathered in its hand and Farore launched a bolt that blew up Alexis's monster.

 **Alexis's LP: 8000-7000**

"I'll finish up by placing one card facedown," Lynn concluded as a single card materialized behind her monster, _So far so good. One monster down. I need two more and I'll be able to summon a monster so powerful, even Lex won't be able to stop it._

"It's my turn now and Shard of Greed's effect activates. It gains one counter," Alexis announced as a counter began orbiting her spell card.

Shard of Greed counters: 0-1

"Then I'll summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode," Alexis continued a new girl monster appeared on the field. Garbed in a red bodysuit with white accenting, pink ballet shoes and a blue tutu, her short pink and a sky-blue visor over her eyes immediately had hearts appearing in the guys who saw her take the field (ATK: 1000).

"Don't let her cuteness fool you. She packs a mean kick. In fact, it's mean enough to bypass your monster and go straight for your life points," Alexis warned as her ballerina began to spin. A cyclone wrapped around her as she spun faster and faster. The ballerina leapt forward, jetting past Lynn's monster. The wind ceased long enough for Alexis's monster to draw back her leg and struck Lynn dead center in the chest.

 **Lynn's LP: 8000-7000**

"When you said she packed a kick, you weren't kidding," Lynn moaned as the monster leapt back to her owner's field.

"I'll end my turn with these," Alexis concluded as two cards materialized on her field.

"Now it's my turn and I summon Defender the Magical Knight in attack mode," Lynn began as her blue armored knight took the field (ATK: 1600), "And then my Farore will attack your Cyber Tutu! Secret lightning!"

"Hold it right there! I activate my trap card Doble Passé!" Alexis announced as one of her facedowns flipped open, "With this card, I redirect your attack to me instead of Tutu!" The trap card glowed as Farore fired her lightning bolt. The bolt bent away from Alexis's monster and struck its owner.

 **Alexis's LP: 7000-5000**

"And now that I've taken damage, I activate my other facedown card Shock Draw! This trap lets me draw a card for every 1000 points of damage taken. I just took 2000 points of damage so I draw two cards," Alexis continued as her second facedown card opened up and she drew two cards, "And now Doble Passé's other effect activates. Cyber Tutu now gets to counter with a direct attack on you!" Lynn grimaced as her opponent's monster went into another spin and struck her again.

 **Lynn's LP: 7000-6000**

"You may have gotten a cheap shot in but I'm not done yet. Defender, finish what Farore started and destroy Cyber Tutu," Lynn ordered as her knight rushed in and cut down the ballerina.

 **Alexis's LP: 5000-4400**

"With that, I'll end my turn," Lynn concluded as her knight returned to her side.

"Oh man, what's Alexis doing? She's lost nearly half her life points already," Syrus wondered.

"Yeah but she's all set to draw a bunch of cards this turn," Chumley pointed out, "She's gotta be looking for something."

"Well here's hoping Lex gets what she needs," Lucia commented as Alexis drew a card.

"Then it's my turn now and I activate Shard of Greed's effect! Since my turn began, it gets another Greed Counter," Alexis announced as a second counter appeared with her spell.

Shard of Greed counters: 1-2

"And since Shard of Greed has two counters, I can send it to the graveyard and draw two cards," Alexis continued as her spell vanished and her hand was reinforced even further. Looking at her draws, she immediately grinned.

"Now I summon Cyber Petit Angel (ATK: 300). My little angel friend has a special effect that can add a Machine Angel Ritual card to my hand," Alexis continued as a pink angel-mechanical monster appeared on her field, "But it won't stay in my hand because I'm activating it, and I'll do so by sending Cyber Petit Angel and Djinn Releaser of Rituals from my field and Djinn Prognosticator of Rituals from my hand to the graveyard to ritual summon Cyber Angel Dakini." A ritual urn appeared on Alexis's field and quickly burst into flames, consuming her monsters. The jar then exploded and from it emerged a blue-skinned human with four arms. Garbed in armor of orange, blue and yellow, two of her arms carried swords while the third balanced a naginata (ATK: 2700).

"Your ritual spell activated Farore's special ability! She gains a spell counter and 100 more attack points," Lynn reminded her as her mage grew stronger.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 2000-2100 / Counters: 3-4)

"Yeah but even she's not strong enough to stop this! I activate Dakini's special ability. When summoned, you have to pick a monster on your field and destroy it," Alexis explained, "So which one will you take out?"

"I'll select Farore," Lynn said, looking to her green mage. Some of the students looked on in surprise at Lynn's choice.

"Why her? She's the stronger of her two monsters," Atsuko wondered fearfully.

"Fear not Atsuko. Lynn's knight can use its special ability to save any spellcaster from being destroyed once per turn," Bastion reminded her.

"But if Lynn does that, her monsters will be vulnerable to Dakini's attack," Syrus pointed out.

"She is trying to force the use of Defender's ability so it can attack and remove Lynn's defense," Jaden explained, having seen the ability in action before. Defender however made no move to help as Dakini drew back its two sword arms in preparation to throw its weapons.

"Except I don't think that's Lynn's move at all. Look at Farore's amulet!" Bastion exclaimed. The gemstone began to glow a violet color as did its wearer as Dakini threw its two swords at the mage. The glow intensified as the swords clanged useless against Farore before clattering to the ground and vanishing.

"What happened?" Alexis wondered.

"Guess I should've mentioned that the bling she's wearing isn't just for good looks. Any level four or below Lost Legend equipped with Amulet of Protection can't be destroyed by your monster effects one time," Lynn explained as the jewel's glow died.

"Well if an effect won't destroy your monster, maybe this will. Dakini attack Defender the Magical Knight!" Alexis ordered as her warrior readied her weapons. Defender drew its sword in challenge and the two monsters quickly clashed in a storm of steel. With its naginata and twin swords, Dakini quickly proved to be stronger as Defender was slowly pushed back.

"Not so fast Alexis. You won't destroy Defender that easily. I activate his special ability. I can remove his spell counter and save him from being destroyed," Lynn countered as her knight's shield glowed with energy. Using it, he shoved away Alexis' monster and forced it to back off.

"Maybe but you're still taking damage," Alexis corrected as Lynn's life points suffered.

 **Lynn's LP: 6000-4900**

"And the damage to your life points isn't the only thing you need to worry about. Since I summoned Dakini with Djinn Prognosticator of Rituals, its special effect forces you to discard one card from your hand," Alexis explained. Lynn looked down at her hand and reluctantly did as she was told.

"Is there anything else you'd like to mention before you end your turn?" Lynn asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes. As long as Dakini remains in play, Djinn, Releaser of Rituals' effect forbids you from special summoning anything," Alexis added. Lynn's eyes widened in surprise.

 _No special summons?! But without special summoning, I can't execute my strategy._ Lynn grimaced fearfully.

"No special summons? But special summoning monsters is how Lynn wins her duels," Syrus frowned.

"Yes and I expect Alexis thought of that when she was constructing her deck. By removing special summons, she's significantly reduced Lynn's combat options," Lucia smiled smugly, "She may even have stopped her altogether."

"Well I don't know if I'd go that far Lucia. There's a long way to go yet," Bastion contested. Across the way, Mindy and Jasmine were having their own thoughts.

"With no special summons, Lynn's in real trouble," Jasmine grinned.

"I wouldn't hold bet on that. They're still evenly matched in life points," Mindy countered.

"Oh yeah? Care to add to the bet?" Jasmine taunted.

"What do you have in mind?" Mindy asked.

"Along with the standard spa treatment, add in full body massages," Jasmine proposed, holding out her hand.

"Seriously? Oh it's on," Mindy agreed, shaking hands, "Come on Lynn. You can't let Lex win. My beauty is at stake." Lynn drew a card and frowned.

"You may have stopped me from special summoning Lex but I'm far from finished. I'll start by switching Defender to defense mode (DEF: 2000). Then I'll activate Spell Power Grasp and using to add a new spell counter to Defender and Farore thanks to her special ability," Lynn said as her knight crouched into a defensive stance.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 2100-2200 / Counters: 4-5)

"With new counters in hand, I'll add another Spell Power Grasp to my hand. Then I'll throw this down and end my turn," Lynn concluded as a single card materialized on her field.

"Then it's my move and I play the spell card Monster Reincarnation. With it, I'll trade my Djinn Demolisher of Rituals from my hand for Tour Guide from my graveyard," Alexis said as she swapped cards.

"And my Farore will take another spell counter," Lynn piped in as Farore grew even stronger.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 2200-2300 / Counters: 5-6)

"Fine because I'm summoning my Tour Guide from the Underworld once again," Alexis continued as her monster returned (ATK: 1000) alongside a red Djinn carrying a ridiculously large axe (ATK: 200), "And her effect will special summon Djinn Disserere of Rituals from my deck in attack mode."

"In attack mode? But your monster only has 200 attack points," Lynn pointed out, "Don't you think you're taking a bit of a risk summoning it like that?"

 _Maybe but if my plan works, it'll be worth it._ Alexis thought to herself, "You just worry about yourself. After all, you're about to lose more life points and a card from your hand." With that, Dakini launched herself towards Lynn's field.

"Not this time! I'll tie up your monster with my Shadow Spell trap card," Lynn countered as her card flipped open. Iron chains launched from it and quickly restrained Alexis' monster.

"Not only does my trap stop your attack, it also reduces Dakini's attack points by 700," Lynn explained as the ritual monster lost some of its power.

Cyber Angel Dakini (ATK: 2700-2000)

"So much for your plan to debilitate my hand and my life points. Now what are you going to do?" Lynn asked.

"I'm going to place this and end my turn," Alexis concluded as a new facedown appeared on her field _, just a little more and my plan'll be complete. I just need a few more cards. Don't disappoint Lynn._

"It's my turn. I'll use Spell Power Grasp once again to give two counters to Farore and add the last Spell Power Grasp to my hand from my deck. Then I'll summon out Lost Legend Din in attack mode," Lynn began as a new female human monster with almond-colored eyes joined her field. Deeply tanned and wearing a red dancer's outfit with golden jewelry, she winked flirtatiously as she took her sister sage's side (ATK: 1000).

"That's a new monster. What does she do?" Alexis asked.

"Din's effect lets me automatically add a field spell from my deck to my hand. I choose Magical Citadel of Endymion and activate it too," Lynn explained as her tower emerged behind her, "Then I'll switch Defender to attack mode (ATK: 1600) and use Farore's power to raise the strength of both my Lost Legend monsters." With new spell counters in play, Farore and Din's energies resonated and they both grew stronger.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 2300-2600 / Counters: 6-9)

Lost Legend Din (ATK: 1000-1900)

"Time to take command of this duel. Lost Legend Farore, destroy Cyber Angel Dakini with secret lightning," Lynn ordered. Her green-clad mage grinned as emerald energy gathered in her hand. Extending it towards Alexis' restrained monster, it fired a burst of lightning that blew away Alexis' ritual monster.

 **Alexis's LP: 4400-3800**

"Next up is my Defender. Take out her Underworld Tour Guide," Lynn continued as her blue armored knight cut down Alexis's fiend.

 **Alexis's LP: 3800-3200**

"And last but not least is Lost Legend Din. Take out Djinn Disserere of Rituals with nature's force!" Lynn added further as her red-haired dancer conjured a storm of leaves that blew away Alexis's Djinn.

 **Alexis's LP: 3200-1500**

"Well, there goes all of your monsters. So what do you have to say to that?" Lynn asked.

"I'll say that I'm activating another Shock Draw and draw two more cards," Alexis replied as she drew once again.

"What? More cards?" Lynn echoed questioningly as her turn ended, "But why?"

"You'll find out in a moment. I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands (ATK: 1400) and check out its effect. It lets me add a ritual monster or spell card from my deck to my hand," Alexis explained as she added another card to her hand, "And thanks to you, I've got all the pieces I need to summon my ultimate monster."

"Oh really? Then what are you waiting for?" Lynn asked.

"Nothing. I activate Machine Angel Ritual! I'll send Manju from my field and banish the three Djinns in my graveyard to summon Cyber Angel Vrash!" Alexis announced as her three Djinns briefly appeared alongside a ritual urn. Flames from the urn erupted and consumed Alexis' four monsters. They coalesced and formed a new humanoid monster. Garbed in a pink-purple bodysuit, golden bracelets, and three sets of white wings, it had four arms and a mane of long purple hair. Its glazed pink eyes regarded Lynn with contempt as a gear-like crown floated behind it (ATK: 3000).

"Cyber Angel Vrash is my most powerful ritual monster so it's only fair to warn you that I've never lost a duel with it," Alexis warned.

"I'm not scared. Your monster only has 3000 attack points. I've got more than a few monsters that could beat it," Lynn pointed out.

"Not for long. I activate the equip spell Ritual Synergy. This will raise Vrash's attack points by 300 for each ritual material monster I used to summon her. Since I used four, that's 1200 more attack points," Alexis explained as a jeweled necklace appeared around her monster's neck and filled it with new power.

Cyber Angel Vrash (ATK: 3000-4200)

"And her attack points aren't the only thing you need to worry about. Each of the Djinns has passed on additional powers to my Cyber Angel. Since I used Djinn Releaser of Rituals, you can't special summon monsters. Djinn Prognosticator of Rituals forces you to discard one card from your hand each time she damages your life points in battle. Then, there's my Djinn Demolisher of Rituals. Since I used it to summon Vrash, my monster cannot be targeted by your card effects," Alexis explained as silhouettes of her monsters briefly appeared around her Cyber Angel, all cackling at Lynn's plight, "Plus Vrash has the ability to stop the destruction of the cards I control if I return a ritual monster in my graveyard back to my deck. Finally, there's Ritual Synergy's other effect. If I happen to control more than one ritual monster, you can only attack Vrash. Not that I have any others at the moment but that could very well change…"

"Oh _come on_! This is totally not fair!" Mindy protested, "What kind of strategy is that?"

"A strategy that lets me win the bet!" Jasmine laughed.

"No way! It's not over yet," Mindy pouted, "Lynn has the life points to turn this around."

"Oh really? Care to sweeten the bet again?" Jasmine offered.

"What do you have in mind?" Mindy asked.

"On top of the spa treatment and massage, I propose a full mud bath, perms and facials. The complete works package," Jasmine proposed tauntingly, holding her out hand again.

"You can't be serious. That would like cost me my entire allowance for this month if I lost," Mindy said fearfully, looking down at Jasmine's hand nervously. Her gaze went to Jasmine, down to the field, and back to Jasmine again. She closed her eyes in fear and hope as she grasped Jasmine's hand and shook.

"Lynn, you better not lose this," Mindy prayed. Across the way, Jaden and his friends had their own thoughts on the duel.

"Man, Lex came up with a really sweet strategy didn't she guys?" Jaden asked.

"She sure did. Sending all those Djinns to the graveyard, sacrificing life points to draw cards, holding out to summon her most powerful monster, and power her up to boot… I don't think even my brother could defeat that monster," Syrus agreed.

"It's like I told you guys. Lex had Lynn outclassed from the start," Lucia stated, "Without card effects or the ability to destroy the support cards, Lynn can only destroy Cyber Angel Vrash in battle."

"Yeah and with 4200 attack points, that's not going to be easy," Chumley agreed.

"Well if there's a silver lining to all this, the citadel and Farore did gain two more spell counters from Alexis' move," Bastion noticed as Lynn's Farore gained even more power to share with her sister spellcaster.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 2600-2800 / Counters: 9-11)

Lost Legend Din (ATK: 1000-2100)

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 0-2

"Cyber Angel Vrash attack Defender the Magical Knight!" Alexis ordered as her ace summoned four swords into its hands. Defender drew its sword once again as it leapt into battle with Vrash.

"Did you forget? Defender can negate its destruction by removing its spell counter," Lynn reminded her.

"Too bad your knight doesn't have one then," Alexis pointed out as her warrior started to get the upper hand in the fight.

"That's where you're wrong. I activate the power of my citadel. Once per turn, I can use one of its spell counters to activate a cost effect that uses spell counters," Lynn explained as a spell counter from her citadel merged with her knight's shield. Enhanced with the magic of the counter, her knight survived the exchange and both monsters return to their sides.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 2-1

"Good move but that still won't save you from taking damage," Alexis reminded her as Lynn's life points suffered greater damage.

 **Lynn's LP: 4900-2300**

"And let's not forget the magic of my Djinn. It forces you to discard one card from your hand," Alexis added. Lynn looked down at her hand and reluctantly chose another card to send to her graveyard.

"My turn is over but with Vrash out on the field, you don't have a chance now," Alexis concluded.

"That remains to be seen. It's my turn," Lynn said as she drew a card, "I switch all my monsters to defense mode and end my turn."

Lost Legend Farore (DEF: 2100 / Counters: 11)

Lost Legend Din (DEF: 2100)

Defender the Magical Knight (DEF: 2000 / Counters: 0)

"That's all?" Alexis asked as she drew. She grimaced at her draw as she added the card to her hand.

"From the expression on your face, I'm guessing your draw wasn't any better than mine," Lynn remarked.

"My draw isn't your present problem," Alexis reminded her as Vrash rushed in once again, "She is! Cyber Angel Vrash, attack!"

"I wouldn't bet on that. Defender, use a spell counter from my citadel and negate that move," Lynn countered as the last counter on her citadel merged with Defender's shield. Empowered again, the knight repelled another attack.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 1-0

"I end my turn," Alexis concluded.

"OK, here I go," Lynn said as she drew, _Hmm… Breath of the Wild… This spell card would be useful if I had a Lost Champion on my field… I have no spell counters to use with Defender and no spells in my hand that I can play right now. My only choice right now is to bluff with Breath of the Wild and hope she doesn't attack._

"I set one card facedown and end my turn," Lynn said as she set one card on the field.

"Now it's my turn," Alexis replied, staring down at her deck, _what do I do? As long as Lynn has Defender in play, I can't destroy her monsters. She's out of spell counters now but I won't do any damage this turn just blindly attacking. I need something to turn this in my favor._ Alexis drew her card and immediately smiled, _this may give Lynn some spell counters but it won't matter once I get rid of her knight_.

 _Uh oh. I do not like that smile on her face._ Lynn thought anxiously.

"I activate the spell card Preparation of Rites. This card returns Machine Angel Ritual from my graveyard and adds Cyber Angel Benten from my deck to my hand," Alexis began as two cards materialized in her hand, "Then I activate Machine Angel Ritual. I'll discard Cyber Prima from my hand to ritual summon my Cyber Angel Benten." Another ritual urn briefly appeared as a single card was consumed from Alexis' hand. The urn then exploded as another female human monster emerged. Garbed in a red-white bodysuit and carrying two battle fans, her long black hair trailed behind her as a golden crown adorned her head (ATK: 1800).

"Not bad but Benten isn't strong enough to defeat any of my monsters," Lynn pointed out.

"Who said I was done? I equip Benten with the equip spell Ritual Weapon. This will raise her attack power by 1500 points," Alexis countered as a crossbow-like weapon replaced the war fans of her monster.

Cyber Angel Benten (ATK: 1800-3300)

"You just played three spell cards in a row. That will energize Farore and my citadel with three more spell counters," Lynn cautioned, _and gives me what I need to survive another turn._

Lost Legend Farore (DEF: 2000-2300 / Counters: 10-13)

Lost Legend Din (DEF: 2000-2300)

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 0-3

"Those counters won't help you for long. Cyber Angel Vrash attack Defender again!" Alexis ordered.

"I'll use a spell counter from my citadel to fuel Defender's ability and save my knight," Lynn countered as her knight repelled another attack.

Magical Citadel of Endymion counters: 3-2

"I knew you'd do that. That's why I summoned Benten first. Now Benten, finish what Vrash started and destroy Defender the Magical Knight once and for all!" Alexis ordered as her second monster raised its new weapon. A blast of energy erupted from it and quickly consumed Lynn's knight.

"Since Benten destroyed Defender, her special ability activates. You will now take damage to equal to Defender's original defense points," Alexis added as Benten fired a second blast at Lynn. The girl cried out in surprise as the blast struck her and her life points suffered.

 **Lynn's LP: 2300-300**

"With that, I'll end my turn," Alexis concluded, "You've fought a good duel Lynn but I'm afraid this duel is mine." Lynn grimaced at that comment.

 _I hate to admit it but maybe she's right. With my ability to special summon sealed and my best card effects rendered ineffective, my chances aren't great._ Lynn reflected as she looked down at her deck, _but I'm not done yet. I just need the right monster._ As she reached down to draw, her bones trembled as a low growl echoed from within her deck.

 _No! You stay out of this! You're not what I need right now. You can't help me._ Lynn prayed as her fingertips graced her deck. Her prayer was answered with an even more fearsome roar that made her openly shiver in fear. Though it was intended to be only heard to Lynn, Jaden could hear it as Winged Kuriboh appeared and cowered behind him.

"Hey pal. You heard that too?" Jaden asked quietly. Kuriboh cooed quietly in agreement.

"What was that roar just now?" Chumley asked.

"Wait. You heard that too Chum?" Jaden asked.

"Yup, sounded like a beast roaring," Chumley agreed.

"I didn't hear anything. Maybe it was your stomach?" Syrus proposed.

"How could it? Chumley had like a dozen grilled cheeses at lunch," Jaden pointed out.

"Oh it wasn't that many. More like eight or nine and it wasn't my stomach roaring," Chumley protested, looking to the Japanese girl, "What do you think Atsuko?" The girl was pale with fright, her gaze on Lynn.

"Are you OK?" Chumley asked.

"No, I'm worried for Lynn-chan," Atsuko admitted, eyeing Lynn fearfully, "this is her last chance. She has to win this turn or it's all over." Lynn took a breath, closed her eyes and placed her fingers on her top card.

 _It's all or nothing. Please come to me._ Lynn pleaded as she drew her card. Free of her deck, Lynn opened her eyes and pulled the card within range of her sight.

 _Thank you for respecting my wishes._ Lynn thought gratefully before smiling, "…I have to admit Lex. You really played a brilliant strategy but this duel is mine."

"Oh really? And just how do you plan to beat me with everything I've set up against you?" Alexis asked.

"Glad you asked. I'll start by releasing Lost Legend Din to advance summon Lost Champion Mipha," Lynn announced as her dancer vanished in place of her aquatic heroine (ATK: 1500), "Then I activate my facedown spell card Breath of the Wild."

"Breath of the Wild? What's that do?" Alexis asked.

"Glad you asked. When I have a field spell active on my field, this card will double the attack points of a Lost Champion on my field for one turn," Lynn explained.

"But doubling her attack points won't do you any good," Alexis pointed out when it hit her, "Unless…!"

"Unless I use Farore's special ability first. She gives 100 attack points to every Lost Legend and Lost Champion on my field for every spell counter she has. Couple that with Breath of the Wild and your odds of victory just vanished," Lynn replied confidently. The aquatic heroine glowed with green and white light as the two power ups took effect.

Lost Legend Farore (ATK: 2300-2400 / Counters: 13-14)

Lost Champion Mipha (ATK: 1500-2900-5800)

"5800 attack points?" Alexis gasped.

"It's just like you said. I can't use effects to defeat your monsters so I have no choice but to brute force my way through them instead," Lynn said as a veil of water wrapped around her champion, "Now Lost Champion Mipha destroy Vrash and end this duel. Mystic typhoon!" With the watery veil protecting her, Mipha performed a spinning leap that propelled her towards the ceiling. The water around her glowed with energy as she took the form of a spinning drill. Vrash responded by throwing her weapons at her but the champion was undeterred as the water deflected the weapons. Now unarmed, Vrash looked on in fear as Mipha dove towards her and the two monsters were caught in an explosion of fire and water. Mipha leapt through the smoke to her mistress's side as Alexis cried out in defeat, her life points depleted.

 **Alexis's LP: 1500-0**

"I don't believe it. Lex lost," Jasmine groaned burying her face in her hands.

"Woohoo! Spa day here I come!" Mindy cheered, pumping a fist. The crowd erupted into applause as the holograms faded away. Lynn put a hand over her heart and sighed with relief.

 _That was too close._ Lynn thought as Dr. Stratton came up on stage, mic in hand.

"After a cataclysmic battle of angels and legends, the winner of the final duel off is Lynn Hero!" Dr. Stratton announced, "With this duel completed, we have our three chosen representatives for the School Duel. Jaden Yuki, Bastion Misawa, Lynn Hero, prepare yourselves for the School Duel will soon be upon us."


End file.
